Toyfriend
by Desenchanter
Summary: He was just her toyfriend. Something she could play with when bored. Until… they weren't. Who would have thought attempted murder would cause so much trouble? Adding in intrusive gods and a crimson eyed creeper only brings the pair unneeded issues.Lemons
1. Couldn't Say

**Summary**: To most, they thought he was her boyfriend. To her, he was just a toyfriend. Someone she played with then threw away when she was bored. Until... they weren't. Really, who would have thought attempted murder would cause so much trouble?

**_Toyfriend_**  
><strong><em>Chapter 1: Couldn't Say<em>**

She couldn't say why she did what she did. Most thought she was innocent, well, as innocent as a twenty year old college student could be. It was her third year at Tokyo University and she had grown out of her shell since she started, she had stopped being the goody-goody she was known as in high school. Of course, she still got good grades—just not straight As. She had more friends than in high school—just not as many _great_ ones. She still had boyfriends—just did more with them.

College was time to try things out, switch personalities, clothing styles, sexual positions, and whatnot so that she could know what she wanted once she was done. Once she was ready to be an adult. She knew that at twenty people considered her one, but really, if more adults knew what most twenty year olds were up to then they really would have reconsidered that.

Inuyasha. A guy she had been seeing for almost a month now, they did things with each other, some would think they were dating. But she didn't think of him like her boyfriend. They made out some, got frisky every once and a while, but hadn't had full on sex yet. He was more like a toy, something she could play with when she wanted to and threw to the side when she didn't.

If he minded, he didn't ever say so.

It was more interesting to her that he wasn't a college student, that there was an age difference between them greater than any other guy she had been with. Five years, to be exact. Moreover, she knew nearly nothing about him but the basics and what movies he liked and food. Thrillers, horror flicks, and actions films were some of his favorites. Ramen, most meats, and a good beer were always acceptable to him.

Chance was what introduced the two, she was out at a club with her friends, he was there with a couple of his, and it was simple from there. He came up and started to flirt with her, she thought he was handsome and gave him her number. A couple days she got a call from him.

She wasn't sure if he thought they were dating, since they never addressed the point but she assumed he didn't. He probably wasn't looking for something long term, just like she wasn't.

Twenty was too young for someone to meet _the_ one. How her friends giddily spoke about that. How eager they were to find the _one_, the man that they'd live happily ever after with. She knew the truth, the one they choose to ignore.

There was no such thing as soul mates. There was not just one person out there for someone. There were plenty, it just depended how hard one wished to work to make a relationship function.

And at twenty, she didn't care to work that hard.

From this, one might think Higurashi Kagome sounded apathetic but nothing could be far from the truth. She was a joyful, outgoing, overtly friendly, cute college girl who knew tragedy but liked to look on the brighter side of things.

Well... for the most part she was like that. Until things changed.

Very little ever stayed the same, she just hadn't learned that yet.

**.oooOoOooo.**

An apartment party was the backdrop to another meet up between the two, the raven haired man with his ebony waved girlfriend. Correction, friend with mild benefits that happened to be a girl. At least, that's what Higurashi Kagome considered herself. She laughed, danced, and did everything else that was typical for her. Even though it was a party he found with mostly people that he knew, she was completely comfortable.

Inuyasha had learned quickly that she liked to meet new people, he stopped being insulted a long while ago when he saw her trading numbers with other people since he saw her doing it more often with girls than guys. Though, if she was in to that type of thing he would have found it hot. Most likely, he'd encourage such interaction instead of anything else.

None of it really mattered, since at the end of the night her lips were on his. Her tongue would tangle with his, her teeth tugged on his lips, then there would be that subtle suck she gave that granted him a fine amount of pleasure. She was a little tease, always taking it just a bit further each time they started up.

First, he only got a light series of kisses.

Second, he only got to taste her tongue.

Third, he only was allowed to feel her _fully clothed_ body while their kisses deepened slightly and lasted longer.

Fourth, he only got to take off her shirt.

Fifth, he got to feel up her breasts more.

Six, he was allowed to remove her pants.

Seventh, their bodies rubbed against each other.

Eighth, her bra was off.

Ninth, her panties were gone and some deeper action with his hands.

Now... the tenth time, he was sure he would get to have sex with her. That's why he was eager to get her out of the apartment and back to his place. But she didn't want to, she'd kiss him some more when he offered it, then pressed her body tighter against his yet... she'd always pull away and wag her finger at him with a smile before going back to partying. He couldn't let her drink too much, since he felt she wouldn't let him go all the way if she was drunk.

Not that she ever got there, she'd drink some now and then but he had never seen her drunk. Then again, he had only known her a month.

"Please can we leave?" he asked, winning her attention totally for that. She rarely ever heard him use the word 'please'. She pouted some but in the end, he won, and they were going out the door. By the time they were at his, he was fumbling to get the key in the lock.

He had only things on his mind, like the way she wrapped her arm around his body and nibbled his ear. When they were in he slammed the door and threw his keys to the floor to pull her to him and close the gap between their lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck before he picked her up to take her to his bedroom. She was no stranger to the area in his apartment.

His very nice apartment... she did wonder what he did for a living to get that, especially in the nice part of Tokyo it was in.

He had planned to plop her down on the bed but instead she dropped her feet to the ground and turned around to push him onto his back, a grin on her smile since she could tell from the awe on his face that she had taken him by surprise. Her actions that followed made it forgivable, since she unzipped her blue dress and it let it follow to her ankles.

"Take your shirt off," she ordered rather than requested.

"A'right," he was fine with that. So he yanked it off and stood up to undo his pants and let them fall to the ground. Her bra was the next thing to fall, he unsnapped it with ease before lowering her back down onto his bed. Her body arched to his touch, the feel of his breath on her skin, it equaled what he felt as her hands moved up and down his body.

It wasn't an unknown sensation to her, the way his hand found its way up her inner thighs to her already throbbing area. Nor the way he caressed her there, but he just did it far better than anyone else she's had. She didn't restrain herself in the least, she let out her moans and moved her hips along with his rhythm.

It was apparent she wanted more, and this time she wasn't about to stop him. He was more than happy to oblige, since he felt the exact same way. She didn't have to confirm it aloud to him. That's what she liked about their relationship.

A grin took his lips as he promptly pushed his way into her. With each of his thrusts she gasped and gripped him tighter. Then he spun his hips to twirl his efforts within her and the pleasure intensified. Something he figured out in that moment that he simply _loved _about her was how tight she was, she wasn't virgin tight but good enough. It was a blissful delight.

That night, he knew she wouldn't be finding her way back to the dorms.


	2. Bad Things Come in Threes?

**Toyfriend**  
><strong>Chapter 2: Bad Things Come in Threes?<strong>

She lazily rolled around in his large bed as he used the bathroom, a smile on her lips as she stretched all he more. Why one man needed a king sized bed was a bit beyond her, but she was pleased to be in it. For the past three years she had to deal with a twin sized bed in her dorm. If for nothing else than his large apartment, she'd surely have to stay on good terms with Inuyasha.

A knocking caught her attention and forced her to open her eyes and looked out his bedroom door. She waited for a moment to see if it started up again, when it did she grabbed one of his shirts and slid on a pair of his boxers.

"Inuyasha, someone's at your door," she announced but decided to remedy the problem herself. It wasn't odd to her that someone was stopping by at two thirty in the morning, her friends did it all the time. Though, Inuyasha wasn't in college anymore so it might be a bit different... she shrugged off that thought as she opened the door.

A dull expression met her, at least that was the first thing she saw, then her hazels shifted over the women who stood in front of her. She was about her height - give or take an inch or two - with fair skin, deep chocolate eyes, and long, perfectly straight black hair.

The first thought that came was how pretty the women was, how perfect her slender figure was, how she could be a model in that red dress with black pumps and jacket. It made her rethink answering the door in an oversized shirt and a pair of boxer shorts.

"Hey, what are ya' doing here?" Inuyasha asked as he walked up behind Kagome, he let his auburn gaze shift over the women before meeting her eyes. "It's late."

"And you apparently have company," she stated, a hint of distant disdain in her voice as she looked over Kagome. In that moment, the college girl felt ever so small...

"Yeah, so?" he rejoined with a raised brow, "you're supposed to call, ya' know."

She merely shrugged a slender shoulder to that. "I'm here and we need to talk."

For a while, he just stood there and stared at her before sighing and stepping aside so that she could waltz right in. Almost as if she owned the place. His attention then turned to Kagome, when he finally noticed what she was wearing his annoyed expression gave way to a grand grin.

"Um, Kagome..." He began but apparently didn't need to finish.

"I should go?" She guessed, he gave her a sorry look and a nod to confirm that notion. To some, the idea of being pushed out of bed by another women would have bothered them. To Kagome, it seemed alright. If a better looking guy came knocking on her door she'd kick Inuyasha out, too.

"She's just a friend," he assured, "we work together. We've got a big project due soon, that's why she's here. Nothing more."

She paused for a while at that, wondering briefly why he felt the need to explain himself. She thought he understood that their relationship didn't need that... but she smiled at him all the same before she gathered her things.

"Do you want me to walk you to the station?"

"No, it's alright, I can get there just fine," she countered, it was just down the road and she only had to wait a short while before getting on the train. It was about a fifteen minute ride to her side of Tokyo and another three minute walk from the station to her dorm.

Before going in, she checked her door's white board that her friends would write on to give her or her roommate Ayame messages. More importantly, she wanted to make sure that a purple heart in the upper right corner wasn't there. If there was one, she wouldn't go in. Since it meant her roommate was with someone, she put a green on in the left corner to give her roomie a heads up.

It was safe to go in, but apparently her friend wasn't asleep either. She was sitting on her bed typing away on her laptop, probably with her face stuck in facebook.

"You look like you had a good time," Ayame taunted, "who is it again? He has a really weird name... In...?"

"Inuyasha," she corrected as she slipped off her shoes and plopped down her bed.

"Weird, _weird_ name," Ayame repeated with a shake of her head, "weirder, he doesn't have a facebook. I wouldn't believe he was a real person in less I saw him. He's good looking, not great, though. Not really my type."

"We really don't share in our taste in men," Kagome reminded her friend with a smile, "look on the bright side, at least we've never liked the same guy."

"True."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Akitoki Houjo, he was a cute, well behaved, classmate who went out of his way to make sure he had at least one class with her a semester. They both wanted to become doctors, so often they studied for the entry exam for Tokyo U's medical school. They had always been nothing more than friends, though he tried ever so hard to change that.

Surely, he'd be a safe chose if she ever decided it was time to settle down and get married. He was from a rich family and would be successful as a doctor, that was one of the reasons she continued to keep him close. It was a bit cruel, but he was her back up plan if all else failed.

That's what she was thinking about as she stared at him while he explained the math problem to her. He grinned all the more when he noticed her staring, probably misunderstanding the situation completely but she allowed him to. "Kagome, do you understand it?"

"Nope," she chimed in reply. "Sorry, wasn't paying attention."

"I could tell," he answered, allowing his grin to grow all he more. "Do you want me to repeat myself?"

"I appreciate all the help, Houjo," she said as she slid her book into her bag. "I just don't think I can focus right now. Let's just deal with this later."

"Do you want to get lunch instead?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah, sure." She didn't ever mind eating with him since he always bought he food. She protested constantly at first, always begged him to let her pay for her own meal, but after all the 'no's she gave up. Not to mention she was a broke college student, free food was always welcomed.

She only had a short while to eat at the cafeteria before she had to go to work for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. It was a pretty good job and she was grateful to have it, since her employee was also her uncle and he was very generous with her when it came to scheduling conflicts because of tests and papers. He owned and ran a decent sized bookstore in a fairly busy part of Tokyo. It was also an easy walk from campus.

More importantly, she got to do her homework when it was slow which just so happened to be often. It wasn't a very busy place, what really kept it profitable were the special orders that her uncle did for customers in need of a book they could not find elsewhere.

When a handsome man entered the shop her attention quickly switched from her organic chemistry textbook to the violet eyed stranger, a smile swiftly shifted up her lips as she pushed the book back under the counter and straightened up.

Happily, she asked, "Hello, how can I help you?"

"Hello," he greeted with a grin as his eyes wandered over her body before meeting her hazels. "I believe Nagi has an order in for me, my name is Akimoto Miroku."

"Let's see," she replied as she turned around and leaned over, intentionally right in his line of sight, to look on the bottom self for the special orders. One did have his name on it so she picked it up, letting out a grumble as she lifted the heavy object to drop it on the counter in front of him with a thud. "That's heavy."

"Sorry about that," he said as he unwrapped it to reveal an old, thick, leather book, his smile grew at the sight. "This is perfect."

"Glad to hear it," Kagome said as her eyes shifted over him.

"Since you did have to go through the effort of picking this up, I should repay you some way," he suggested, "how about some dinner?"

"I don't get off until eight thirty." She pouted as her eyes shifted to the clock which was, sadly, only read seven.

"All good thing come to those who wait," he said with a shrug, "I could come pick you up when you get off. It'd be my treat, in more way than one."

She bit back a smile. "Well, how can I say no to that?"

It wasn't rare that customers tried to hit on her, usually they were ugly old creepers but this guy was far from that and life was short so why not go out to eat with him? She returned to her homework before cleaning up the shop to prepare to close it for the night. Right on cue, as soon as she finished turning the key in the lock the violet eyed man was back with a grin.

"This is going to sound rather silly, but I realized once I left that I didn't know your name," he said while he waited for her to put away the key in her purse and prepared to start their walk.

"It's Kagome. Yours is Miroku, right?"

"Yes." He nodded before motioning for them to take a right. "We're going to this little place that I like to go to."

While they walked and carried on a light conversation, she examined him a couple times to verify she made a good decision. He was taller than her, which was always a plus, and older, another good factor, and quite handsome. He seemed like a lady's man but she was fine with that, she was hardly looking for anything serious at the moment. He surely was in his twenties, probably somewhere in the early to mid range.

The more he talked, the more certain she was that he was clever.

"Here we are," Miroku said as he opened the door for her, allowing her to enter the quaint little restaurant first. Before he was able to enter, though, someone called out his name. The only reason she stepped back outside to see the person was because she knew that voice - but why would it be him?

"Miroku! There you are!" Inuyasha shouted, his brows bent together when he saw Kagome. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Do you know her?" Miroku questioned as he motioned towards the girl with ebony waved hair.

"Wait, do you two know each other?" Inuyasha countered as he glanced between the two of them then looked up at the title of the restaurant.

"You two know each other?" Kagome said. She only saw Miroku nod in confirmation before Inuyasha's gaze turned back to her.

"We work together," they both said.

"Oh," she murmured, her eyes then moved anywhere than at them. Suddenly, the situation had gotten very awkward. What were the chances that in all of Tokyo she would run into someone who Inuyasha knew? Well, it's not like they were dating so he really shouldn't get mad about it ... at least, she was fairly certain he didn't think they were dating.

A quick chat was given between the two before they looked back at her, a sheepish smile on Miroku's face then. She got a feeling that meant the date is off.

"Let me guess," she started, withholding the urge to sigh, "something at work came up?"

"Apparently so," he answered.

"Do you want to get dinner then?" she asked, looking back to Inuyasha.

"I've got to go with him," he said.

"Are you mad?" she whispered after she stepped closer to him.

"No," he grumbled. His attention turned to Miroku who was wondering away a bit so that he was out of ear-shot. "Look, you can do whatever you want with other college guys. I get it, you have to have other trysts and whatever but not my friends."

"How was I supposed to know that he was your friend?" she snapped back. "I'll reframe myself. You're hardly one to lecture me after last night."

"Kikyou? I told you, we work together. Nothing happened." A wicked smirk slipped up his lips when an interesting thought popped into his head. "Were you jealous?"

"Hardly," she said dully. The only thing she was jealous about over that women was her killer figure. Kikyou was obviously older than her and Kagome hoped she could look that good when she was her age.

"I'll see you later, a'right?"

She just shrugged a shoulder and looked away, overall annoyed with the situation. She was farther away from campus than she would have liked and without a paid dinner. That, and the extremely cute guy happened to be a friend or co-worker of her toyfriend. What a horrible problem...

"Do you need me to walk you back to campus?" asked Inuyasha.

She just waved him off and shook her head before she started back on her own. Higurashi Kagome was a big girl, she could make it back to campus just fine. She wanted to show that to him. The lights of the city had grown bright since the skyline had grown dark but there were still plenty of people left on the streets and she would only stay on busy ones. There was nothing for the twenty-year-old to fear.

At least ... that's what she thought.

A weirdly annoying feeling consumed her as she walked onto campus. There were only a couple of students walking around while she made her way back to the doors. It wasn't quite winter yet but she got a shiver still. For some reason, she felt cold. And that didn't let up even when she entered the dorm to make her way up to her room.

Quickly, she surveyed the white board to find that it was safe to enter. Apparently, very safe, since it was pitch black when she opened the door.

"Ayame?" she whispered, if her roommate was in there or sleeping she would have said something. She turned on the light to see that it was empty, a bit of a mess, but that was her roommate. Her hazels shifted outside the window and in that moment she saw a stranger standing there, staring up at the dorms. She wasn't sure why, but it looked like he was staring right at her window.

Something about that man with dark eyes caused her to shiver and breath hitch in her throat. His dark hair ... pale skin. The darkness seemed to be his element. She swallowed and reached out to close the curtains and head over to her dorm door to lock it. Just become some creeper was staring at the dorms shouldn't be a sign for alarm but ... it was always better to be safe than sorry.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Even though she was sleeping, she tried to will herself to listen for the door to open. Hoping her roomie would show up sometime soon, but that plan didn't work well. It was her phone that finally woke her up, the constant buzzing. So she groaned and rolled over to grab it off its charger and look at the caller ID.

Inuyasha

She paused for a moment before answering it, then looked around her room to see her roommate's bed was still empty. Maybe she met someone? Kagome wasn't sure why she was so worried.

"Hello?"

"Were you sleeping? I just wanted to call and make sure we're alright."

"As long as you know we aren't dating," she said, "I like you, I like what we're doing, but I don't want anything more right now."

There was a long pause before a question finally came over, "Can I come over?"

For some reason it was so easy to say, "Yes."

Because ... she really didn't want to be alone that night. Her eyes were locked on her cell, holding her breath the entire time until she got another call from him. He was down stairs. Security at the dorms was good, students had to slid their IDs to get in or someone who lived their hand to let another in.

When she was holding the door open for him she realized that it was the first time he had come to hers. Usually, they went to his place. She supposed it helped him not to think of her as a school girl still. He was probably perfectly fine with not returning to college, but maybe he felt he owed her this because of the way he acted earlier?

"What floor are you on?"

"Fifth. My roommates out, so we won't have to worry about her."

He nodded before she started to lead him up stairs. Once the door shut their lips mingled as she pushed him onto her bed. He froze up completely when she slid her hand down to his pants. Unfortunately, they got nowhere before the door opened up. She gasped and pulled away to see Ayame stumble in, her lips locked with some guy Kagome had never seen before. When they noticed the room was already occupied Ayame pulled away to look at her friend, a look of surprise spewed across her face.

"Oops," she murmured as she opened the door to look on the white board. "Wait...?"

"I forgot to put something there," Kagome replied as she slapped herself on the head, "my bad."

"Hey, guys," the guy started with a slur, apparently they had been out drinking. "Let's just turn out the lights and we can all get busy without looking at each other."

"Ugh," Kagome murmured as she slipped off Inuyasha, "I'm completely not in the mood anymore."

"Shit," Inuyasha grumbled. "This isn't going to work for me, either. I like it better when I don't have to remember how young you are..."

"Hey, you're the oldy," Ayame said as she pointed to him, "jerk."

Kagome snickered back a giggle as she looked to the annoyed man. "Guess you'll be leaving?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"So will you," Ayame asserted as she pushed the boy out of the room and waved for Inuyasha to follow. Once he did, she waved mockingly at him before shutting the door in his face. "I don't like that guy, Kagome."

She just shrugged at that as she fell back in her bed. There was the second bad thing to happen that night.

And bad things always came in threes.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: I was really shocked at how much interest was taken in this story. This is a bit of a boring chapter, I admit that... but I promise plenty of interesting things happen in the next chapter :)_

_Please **review**!_


	3. Three for Three

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 3: Three for Three?<em>**

Things hadn't gone according to plans, not in the least bit. When she went through all that effort to bring Inuyasha up to the dorms she wanted to at least get some sort of reward. In the end, she got nothing at all. Her stupid roommate had to ruin it by bring that guy back, the guy that she regretted ever meeting the next day.

The guy she was so happy she didn't sleep with, thanks to Kagome getting in the way. At least, that's what she told her time and time again that morning when they went to brunch together. It was too late to be considered breakfast, too early to be lunch and that was something that they often did together.

Her roommate's enchanting emerald eyes shifted around the cafeteria before landing on Kagome. "Sorry I got in the way of sex time with your guy."

"Oh well, I'll get my fix later," she said with a small shrug of her shoulder as she ate the last of her fruit salad. Her hazels watched as Ayame put her hair up in a high pony-tail, it was always something she was jealous of - the color of her hair. It was a natural red.

It was so rare for a full blooded Japanese to be born with the genes to get red hair. Kagome just had the normal black, with hints of waves. If she wanted to have a different color, she'd have to dye it but since her hair was so dark she'd have to _bleach_ it first and that would just kill it. She didn't want to do that.

"To make up for it, there's this thing I've got to go to for my club," Ayame said, "you know, the Future Business Leaders of Tokyo one?"

Kagome withheld the urge to laugh, it was just a resume booster. Ayame only joined it because every Thursday night they had ragging parties. If the talk was about that, though, then she wouldn't look so cautious. With curiosity, she raised a brow.

"We're going to this thing today, it's like a legit business thing. We have to dress properly and everything, there's going to be this guy from a big corporation there telling us what we need to know how to succeed. A couple, actually. If you come with, we can go to the party afterwards."

"You just don't want to suffer through that by yourself," Kagome said.

"It'll actually help you in the long run, I think. You're a marketing major, this will help you form business connections."

It was rare for Ayame to think about the future like that, so Kagome was silent for a moment as she mulled it over. She nodded, it was true. In a year she'd graduate and she would need to find a job, making connections now would help her in that endeavor surely. "Alright, that sounds good. I even have this cute business outfit I could wear."

"It has to be appropriate," Ayame teased with a small smirk, "no high hem lines."

"Ahaha," Kagome said. "That means no showing off your boobs."

"These babies?" Ayame laughed as she waved her hand over her chest, "it'll be hard not to."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Bad things come in threes, that's what she had always thought. But that day nothing else went wrong. She broke out her business outfit she had, the only one she kept at the dorms - it was one of those 'just in case' things. Her skirt was black A-line that fit to her curves, a white shirt that she buttoned just enough to be appropriate, a belt, and a black jacket. To top it all off, she had a pair of black bumps.

Ayame wore something similar, but with more earth hues to play off her eyes and hair color. Together they took the subway to the center of Tokyo's business district and walked, agonizingly in their heels, all the way to Gami, Inc. and up to the thirty-fourth floor. There, Ayame met up with some of her club members.

It wasn't awkward for Kagome in the least, since she had met most of them at their weekly Thursday night parties. They were more than happy to let her sit in on the small, cozy, meetings with a couple high up members. In a quick prequel, the club's president explained the hierarchy of the company. The highest ranking man was the Chairman of the Board, those right below him were the Board of Directors, then right below them was the Executive CEO, then there were four people at an equal level below him. Accounting Department Vice President, Marking Department Vice President, Human Resources Vice President, and Sales Department Vice President. Below that, it was a hodgepodge of departments and titles and none really mattered.

They were lucky enough to receive two of the four Vice President. Each were graduates of Tokyo U, that was probably why they agreed to indulge the students. Really, Kagome thought it was kind of them to take time out of their busy schedules to talk with them. Who would have thought people that were surely rich and successful would have the time to do something like that?

Vice President of Accounting and Marketing were the two men that would join them. Both looked fairly young, in Kagome's opinion as they walked in - barely older than thirty, but to be VPs in such an important company they had to be much older than that, didn't they? Rich people always stayed looking young. Each wore suites that probably coasted the equivalent of a year's tuition at Tokyo U, too.

They were _so _attractive. It would be a lie to say that Kagome paid attention to their speeches, and didn't fantasize about doing more interesting acts with them. Akimoto Kouga, VP of Accounting, had flawless black hair, it was just long enough to be rebellious but short enough to pull off a professional vibe, as well. And he had the deepest blue eyes. Takamoru Sesshomaru, VP of Marketing, had piercing auburn eyes and silver hair. She supposed he went white early, and most people would look awful that way, but him…?

Oh, he was so sexy. So, very, very sexy. That's why she mustered up the courage to go up to him after the meeting and chat him up, mentioning how she was a marketing major and figuring out random questions that she could tie in subtle compliments. She had learned early on that what was important to men was their ego.

But what they liked to hear the most, what made them feel like a man, was to hear, "To be a _handsome_ VP at such a young age is so impressive."

That got his attention and he let a sly smile slip up his lips.

Men loved to hear how handsome they were. Regardless of how confident they were, regardless of how well off, regardless of how handsome they really were - they still liked to hear it. Loved it, even. Just like girls adored hearing how beautiful they were.

She put more weight to one of her legs than the other, to accent her curves as her hazels moved up and down the man. More than anything, she wanted to have a hot passionate fling with him. She didn't give a damn if she ever saw him again or got a job there someday - she knew she should be focusing on figuring out how to be a successful businesswoman but … damn. He was hot.

"I'm glad you are impressed," he replied. Usually, he had no interest in college students but there was just something about her that drew his attention. She wasn't the most beautiful women he had ever seen, though she wasn't bad looking by any means. There was an alluring atmosphere around her.

That and he hadn't had sex in almost a month and the way she was eyeing him was pretty much the equivalent of throwing herself at him.

"Why don't you," she drew out as she looked around to make sure the club was enthralled with whatever Kouga was going on about. She took a step closer to him and met his eyes, "show me your office and we'll see if you can impress me further?"

A grin crossed his lips in a flash before he motioned for her to go out the door. She did, giving the excuse that she was going to try to find the bathrooms. Everyone knew she had a terrible sense of direction, surely they wouldn't be surprised to hear that she got lost along the way. He followed a minute later, saying he had other matters to attend to. Everyone knew he was a very busy man, so they all just thanked him for his time and advice and didn't think twice about him leaving.

She was lingering outside the door, waiting for him to lead her up to the second to the top floor and into a large corner office. The walls were nothing but glass. She just smiled all the more, there was a leather thin couch, a large, well organized desk, and plenty of space in general. This was going to be fun.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Relieved, absolutely, and utterly _relieved_ at least that's how she felt when she walked into her dorm that evening with her roommate, Ayame, who was still going on about how pathetic it was that Kagome got lost for nearly an hour trying to find the restrooms. She really needed a release, the type she got from organism filled sex with a hot man.

He brought her to her climax _three_ times in that short of a time period. And, gods, he had such a _huge _… she shivered at the thought, though she'd be aching a bit that day. He was good. Better yet, he didn't care that she didn't want to engage in talk afterwards. She was satisfied with it being good, and left.

He obviously didn't want anything more from her, she didn't want anything else from him.

After a while she pulled out her phone to go to an app she had and added another dash to the list. That made five. She really didn't think that was bad at all, for a girl her age to have had five sexual encounters her whole life - well, five partners. Even though she enjoyed herself and had every intention of continuing on with her fun, she didn't want to get carried away.

She didn't want the number to go up in the double digits. Well, not for a couple of years at least. Somewhere she had heard if she had twenty or more partners throughout her life she'd find it harder to locate a husband and though she had no intention of finding that right man soon she didn't want to rule out the possibility all together. Then again, that could have been utter bullshit but she liked it.

She didn't want to have that many sexual partners anyway. That's why she had a toyfriend to mess around with when she needed a release. Inuyasha just failed to please her the night prior and she hadn't betrayed her word. She didn't screw around with any friends of his. Then again, he said just keep with her college guys right…?

A shrug of her shoulder was all that she did in reply. There was something about older man that was just so appealing to her. Hence why Inuyasha was her fuck buddy instead of any able bodied boy her age.

"Gods, wasn't Kouga sexy?" Ayame said with a whimsical smile as she lied upon her bed. "There was just something about those eyes…"

"Should have fucked him to get it out of your system," Kagome taunted.

She just rolled her eyes. "I wish I had gotten his number or something. That other one was pretty good looking as well. Not really my type, his hair was weird."

"So says the Japanese girl with red hair."

To that, all Ayame did was stick out her tongue. She had a good day, a good, good day and her roommate wasn't about the ruin that. Too bad she had no idea that, inevitably, that good deed could really have been the third misdeed.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Three freakin' days went by before Inuyasha bothered to call her. She didn't want to appear clingy or anything, she did send two texts to express she still had an interest in screwing with him, but he only replied once saying 'works hectic, talk to you soon.' It shouldn't have annoyed her as much as it did, and it wasn't like she was an addict - she could go three days without sex.

"Where does he work?" Ayame had asked her after she complained at Inuyasha's absence.

It was a while before Kagome answered, "I really don't know. I guess I've never bothered to ask."

Ayame had suggested then that she got out with her that Thursday night to have some good old fashion college fun and _maybe_ meet a good _young_ college boy. She couldn't see how it would hurt, after all, Inuyasha had told her she could do whatever she wanted with boys her age. And she was old enough to get into the club that "the future business leaders of Tokyo" wanted to go to that night.

She knew how to work it so she never had to buy her own drink. Quickly, she locked onto Yamimoto Hiro, a boy she had known in high school but hadn't seen since the start of college. She knew he always had a thing for her, and back in high school she sort of had a crush on him, but neither ever did anything about it. That night he appeared to have more confidence.

That night, he seemed to want to make up for doing nothing in high school.

And as long as he was buying her drinks she honestly couldn't have cared less.

Giggles left her lips giddily as he wrapped an arm around her, leading her out of the club and through the still slightly busy streets of Tokyo.

"I remember that!" she cried out to one of his many high school stories that he reminisced on. For some reason, in that moment, something caught her eyes that made her sober up slightly. A weird man, standing to the side just staring at her. There was something about his eyes that gave her the shiver, from a distance they almost looked… red? And his hair was so black that it almost blended in with the night and skin so pale … so creepy.

And oddly familiar, too.

That was why she was happy to get onto the subway with Hiro holding her still, if anything were to happen she'd just throw him in between her and the assaulter. Surely, he'd be a man and protect her. Somehow, she doubted he'd be any good at it.

A vibration from her clutch bag caught her attention enough that she wiggled her phone out to see who was calling. A small smirk slipped up her lips as she raised a finger to tell Hiro to hold on as she answered the phone. "Finally missed me enough to call?"

"Told ya', I've been busy," he said back in that gruff voice that only he could make sound good.

"So? You not busy all of a sudden?"

"Actually, I still am but I just had this weird conversation with someone … and I just wanted to call and see - this is stupid, really - but you haven't been to … Gami, Inc, lately have you?"

She paused. "Yeah, actually, why?"

A longer silence lasted on the other side of the line before she heard a low throat growl, that was weird.

"Hey, you there?"

"_What_ did I tell you? Screw all the college boys you want but if this is going to function you've got to stay away from people I know!"

She cringed at that, no fucking way! She hadn't really just…? What were the chances of _that_. First she almost went on a date with his friend, now she screwed someone he knew? She surely hoped they weren't close.

Instead of dealing with that, she changed the subject. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm heading back to my dorm with a nice, young, college boy right now."

The way Hiro smiled at that surely meant he misunderstood what she was talking about, he probably thought she was reassuring a friend who was concerned about her going back to the dorms by herself. He was so sweet, stupid, but sweet. She smiled at him for that.

She heard a heavy sight on the other side of the line again, "Takamoru Sesshomaru, _really_, Kagome? _Why_? Why, why, why, why, _why_? Why him?"

She swallowed then asked, finally, "Who is he to you?"

"My fucking older brother."

That sliced through her like nothing she had thought could before. Guilt. But … she shouldn't have felt guilt. She shouldn't have. Really, really she _shouldn't_. They were just toyfriends, fuck buddies, nothing more. They didn't have an arrangement, no attachments, that's what made them good. Now he was trying to guilt her into what? Saying she was sorry?

"I didn't know but," she turned her head away from Hiro to whisper, "you're my toyfriend, Inuyasha. Remember? It's not like we're dating. We never agreed to be exclusive. How the hell was I supposed to know? I didn't even know your last name."

All she got in return was nothing.

He hung up on her…

**.oooOoOooo.**

Suddenly, she had no interest in doing anything with Hiro. She had sobered up enough to know that was a bad idea. She didn't want to get to number six so quickly after number five. Once he got her to her dorm she told him she wasn't feeling well all of a suddenly and profusely thanked him for talking her all the way there and showing her such a great time at the club.

He was a bit disappointed, she could tell, but he was happy all the same.

"Maybe we should do this again sometime soon?"

She smiled then said, "Sure."

After all, it did appear she needed a new toyfriend. Her last one had given up on her. It was upsetting to think about that as she undressed to change into a pair of sleeping shorts and a tank. She had liked Inuyasha, enjoyed the way he could make her feel, and now that was gone … she frowned at the thought.

She did not feel guilty. How the hell was she supposed to know that was his brother? They didn't look too much alike, they had different colored hair! If she thought hard about it their auburn eyes were a lot alike but … she just groaned as she fell back on her bed.

All of this was hardly her fault. If they were dating, sure, she'd feel horrible but they weren't. They just went to parties together, he bought her drinks, and they had sex on occasion that was all. It wasn't like he was buying her gifts, taking her to dinner, or even the movies.

"I'm not going to feel guilty," she told herself as she rolled over in her bed.

She had the room all to herself, since Ayame was still partying away at the club. For a second she wondered if she was going to be alright or if she would get a drunken call asking her to help her find her way home sometime soon. She really hoped not, she just wanted to go to bed and wake up the next morning pretending like none of this ever happened.

That was the plan, she shut her eyes in hope of sleeping only to awaken sometime later to a thudding on the door. Of course … Ayame lost her key _again_. Reluctantly she got up to open it for her. Instead of seeing a drunken girl standing there, she saw a pretty pissed off man in a suit.

Damn, Inuyasha looked good in a suit.

"It's like … one in the morning, what are you doing wearing that?" she asked with a wave of her hand towards him.

"That's what you want to ask me?" he countered as he pushed his way into her room, running his hand through her jet black hair before she shut the door behind him.

He was right. She had a better question for him. "How'd you get passed security?"

"Easily," he grumbled before looking her square in the eyes. "I would have rather you slept with Miroku than _Sesshomaru_."

Oh, gods, that was this was all about? She withheld the urge to sigh and stated, firmly, "I didn't know he was your brother."

"I'm Takamoru Inuyasha! How many Takamorus could there be out there! It should have given you pause!"

"I didn't know your last name!" She shouted back, if he wanted to have a screaming match she was perfectly fine with that.

"How the hell could you not know?"

"What's mine?" she asked sharply as she folded her arms under her breasts.

That stumped him some, and apparently got her point through, so he just frowned as he looked away.

"Don't you have sex with other people?"

Again, he was quite while he ran his hand through his hair. She gathered that that meant yes.

"If it makes you feel any better, he really has been the only one since we started up."

He grumbled something too mumbled for her to make out as he walked up to her. "Fine … I'll let it go this time. Which is really hard for me, you should keep that in mind. _Next _time you get the urge to fuck around just tell me. Just _call_ me."

"I'll keep that mind," she promised, showing a smile that got him to settle down a little more. She walked up to him as she slid her hands up his jacket. "Seeing you all dressed up is really giving me that urge."

"You like men in suits, huh? Is that your weakness?"

"Maybe, one of them," she replied before pressing her lips to his. He wasn't the biggest fan of kissing, she had figured that out a while ago. He'd do it when needed, but it wasn't out of some unspoken affection for her - just a way of getting her ready for what was to follow.

This time, though, seemed different. This time, he was trying to prove something to her. Maybe that he was better than his breath in bed? If he could give her more than three mind-blowing blissful moments than maybe, just maybe, he could prove just that. At the time, she doubted it.

His tongue licked at her lips until she parted them for his rapid raid. Their tongues brushed against each other as his traced the roof of her jaw, then below hers to play with what lied beneath, then he sucked her lip as he pulled away to yank her down onto the bed. Briefly, she let her mind leave the moment and wonder what would happen if Ayame came back?

She hadn't put up the usual sign but she didn't want to stop the moment to go draw that little green heart on their white board.

Upon her back, but propped up on his arms, that's how she ended up upon her extra-long twin sized bed. Again, she lamented over the idea that they were stuck in her bed and not his beautifully big king sized one. He didn't allot her a lot of time to concern herself with that before he was on top of her allowing them to intertwined.

His hand groped t her all over as their lips meshed. The place he seemed to take most pleasure out of playing with was her ass, pulling her closer and pushing her down all at once so she was lying down beneath him. When his lips finally left hers to explore her exposed skin she took the opportunity to find her breath again.

He yanked her tank top down to expose her more than just fair sized chest. She bit back a grin - if this was the effort he was going to put forth, she'd be a very happy girl. Maybe not as happy as Sesshomaru made her but somewhere near it. She gasped when she felt his hand roam down below her shorts to feel her bare skin. It was a habit of hers, but she hated to wear underwear when she was sleeping. He knew that and accepted it whole heartily.

"Take your clothes off, too," she requested while she began to yank on his jacket. He pulled away just enough to allow her to slid it off all the way so he could fling it onto the other bed in the dorm room. Her fingers then started to work on his buttoned shirt to expose the white shirt underneath it. A grin surfaced when he heard her groan, apparently he was wearing too much clothes for her that night.

When he was finally down to nothing but his boxers she seemed more satisfied, enough so that he could get back to what they had started. He slid a finger into her to prepare her, pulsing in and out, sparking all the right sensations as her body moved closer to him in need. Then another entered and she gasped as she grasped her sheets and bit her smiling lips. Just in case that wasn't enough for her, he let his thumb work magic on her throbbing pearl below. Rubbing her right in all the wrong ways.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, his name was laced in delight and he was more than pleased to hear that.

He was surely trying to prove something to her that night - _never_ to fuck around with his older brother ago. When he had started up that conversation early with him, he didn't anticipate the bastard mentioning a little vixen from Tokyo U who had fulfilled his desires three days prior. At first Inuyasha thought nothing of it, other than the fact that it was really weird for Sesshomaru to get with someone so young as a college girl. That was why he had to ask _why_?

His brother's reply was a description of the girl, of the alluring way about her, and for some reason all the words rang familiar to him. It took a minute or two for him to realize it sounded _just like_ Kagome. When his brother mentioned the way she could move her hips in the middle of the act, the little sounds she made, it all made him queasy. There was just no way…

Furry raged within him when Kagome confirmed it on the phone to him only fifteen minutes later.

What was it about her that drew her to his friends? And them to her? Surely, she had an alluring aura around her. That's what first caught his attention. Generally, he couldn't have cared less about someone her age but… there was just something about her.

One of those little sounds she made broke out of her lips when he slid himself into her to start his pounding assault. He grabbed her luscious thighs to press her legs down onto the bed, so her knees were actually not too far from her shoulders - another great factor about her, she was _very_ flexible. Having her positioned like that gave him the perfect angle to continue, her rear was up in the air, and he still had a view of her flustered face.

He wasn't gentle with the way he kept going, kept pounding further and further into her, but the screams he sparked weren't of pain but pleasure - if he had heard the former in them, he probably would have slowed down. But she was reacting in all the right ways to him, he could feel her tighten around him, feel her try to move along with him but be reframed by the way he held her legs, then there was that great ripple that cascaded within her to milk him dry.

And the scream of delight he heard from her.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Fire. She was _definitely _on fire, her body was burning up, her hands had lost feeling from the way she clenched the sheets around her, her throat was dry from all the cries. She moaned all the same as she jerked forward, feeling him bring her closer and closer to the edge that would finally allow her to fall into her brilliantly bright, beautiful, organism.

It was obvious he was putting all his effort into his movements, the way his tongue worked her below, the added help of his thumb to work her swollen pearl, the way his other hand massaged her all around. He had no intention of stopping after their first flight to heaven, nor the second apparently, which brought them to the third trip. A journey they were already well on their way to completely, at least for her.

This time it was apparently all about _her_, she never thought the other could get real enjoyment out of oral. Surely, with him giving her all the delight then he couldn't be finding his way to his release. She'd just have to remember this for next time, to give him an equal experience to thank him.

It happened all at once - she was there. She would have screamed if she had the vocal power left.

It took a while for her to catch her breath, to stop shaking with such thrill, she finally let go of her sheets and open her eyes to see him pulling his boxers back on. Apparently three times was the lucky number. He hadn't the interest in a fourth? Or maybe he just couldn't handle it, she wasn't so sure she could.

If they weren't at the dorms, she would have offered him to stay the night but… her bed was too small to share and Ayame could have returned at any minute. She thanked the gods for not letting that happen this time.

"Having trouble forming words?" he said with a grin as he began to pull on his pants and zip them up, his auburns on her all the while. She just smiled at him. The sight before him was a grand one, and surely something he'd engrave into his memory. Her, spewed out on her bed, completely naked, glistening with sweat, hair in disarray, and a peacefully pleased look on her face. He'd like to see his brother give her that.

Sesshomaru had always been and forever would be completely and utterly all about _himself_. There was no way he would have focused on pleasing her like Inuyasha just had, there was no way he focused on anything but pleasing himself.

"I don't know if I can move right now," she joked.

"Good," he replied as he pulled on his white undershirt, then his button up shirt, then his suit jacket, leaving them undone. Apparently he was too lazy to put it back together in the proper fashion.

"Hey," she said as she finally pushed herself up so that she could sit up and look around her for her PJs, "what do you do? It's a Thursday night and you were still dressed for work at one in the morning?"

In a very expensive looking suit, too. Of course she knew he had money, he had a great condo and amazing furniture.

"I work at Gami Incorporation," he answered, grinning at the surprise that spewed itself across her face. He watched as she got to her feet and picked up her tank to slid it back on.

"So you and brother work at the same company, then?"

He nodded. "It's kind of a family tradition, we all work there."

"How many brothers do you have?" she asked with a cocked brow.

"That's not what I meant." He chuckled. "My dad works there, too."

"Oh," she drew out as she slid on her boxers. "I see. Is that a good or bad thing?"

"It's really annoying most of the time. But there are perks to it, too."

"How old is your brother?" she asked, only to receive a rather harsh glare from him. "What? He looks like he is in his early thirties and he is already VP of Marketing there, it's pretty damn impressive."

"Yeah, he told me how much he _impressed_ you."

She just rolled her eyes. "I'm serious."

"I'm VP of fucking Sales," he declared, the utter shock that caused her was enough to get her to sit down on her bed. She had been screwing the VP of Sales for Gami, Inc, all this time?

All she could say to that was, with utter disbelief, "Nah-uh!"

Yes, when she went and said things like that, it really did remind him how young she was. "Yes-uh," he mocked as he reached into his back pocket to pull out his wallet then a card within it. He then handed it to her.

Takamoru Inuyasha  
>Vice President of Sales<br>Gami, Inc

It looked so real, it even had the company's logo, address, and two different phone numbers to reach him on it. One his cell phone, and she could remember enough of his phone number to recall that was the same one she had saved in hers.

"Wow," was all she managed to say in reply to that. "No wonder you are always busy…"

"Our quarterly reports are due soon, that's why I haven't been around."

"Oh," she murmured before looking up from the card to him. "How old are you…? I thought you were only twenty-five."

"When did I say that?"

She was stumped for a bit, she was pretty certain someone at one of the parties they went to told her that, but she guessed he never had… "What are you, like thirty-five?"

"Would that be a problem? Does my age really matter?"

"I've always kind of had a ten year age gape acceptance," she ridiculed. If he was more than ten years older than her that would be just… just too weird. He really didn't look it. He _really_ didn't look that old at all.

"Right, and that's why you fucked Sesshomaru," he retorted.

That gave her pause before she sighed and handed him his card back. "I'm going to need to think about how I feel about this."

"No you aren't," he assured as he pushed the card back to her. "You'll be texting or calling me within the next three days. It'll be too hard for you to find a college boy to satisfy your needs now."

"You think you're _that_ good, huh?"

"I am," he grinned as he opened the door, "and so are you."

She would have been highly annoyed with him, utterly frustrated even, if he hadn't added that before he left. _And so are you _… apparently, he had learned the same lessons she had. Everyone liked to be praised, liked the ego busted, and she did love to hear she was good in bed.

With a shake of her head she wanted over to her window and looked out it, in hopes of seeing her red headed roomie stumbling back to the dorms. Instead what she sigh made her hold her breath. A strange pale skinned man with ever so dark eyes… she was on the fifth floor but she could still make out the face enough to decide she had seen him earlier that night. That creeper. Did he follow her back?

Was his eyes really locked up on her window…?

She swallowed as she stepped away and rushed to her door to stick her head out of it, "Hey! Come back!"

She caught Inuyasha just in time, the elevator had just arrived. A grin slipped up his lips before he turned around to see her there. Did she need more already? Such a needy little girl.

"Maybe I'm being paranoid but I think this creeper followed me back to the dorms tonight … he's really freaking me out," she said. Someone with a body like Inuyasha's could protect her. Better than someone as scrawny as Hiro or even Houjo.

He raised a brow and lost the grin as he walked back into her room and let her show him the person outside her window. For a long while he was quite before he asked, "How often have you see him? Are you sure?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure, I could be over thinking it, but he looks like the guy from before. Then again, it was really dark…"

"It's probably nothing," he finally said as he closed the blinds for her. "There's that security guard down stairs for a reason. Just lock your door and call me if you see that guy again, a'right?"

She nodded before letting him go for the night. She locked the door right away… he had taken away the comfort of that security guard, though. Since he had been able to get passed him with 'ease' earlier that night. But if Inuyasha said it was not something she needed to worry about then… it probably wasn't.

Surely, she was just over thinking it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: I hope you enjoy the chapter and please continue to review. I really appreciate every single review!_

_Also, I was curious, I was thinking about adding a small preview for the next chapter at the end of each chapter (maybe a sentence or two), would you rather I did or didn't do that? Any opinion would be nice.  
><em>

Please review. Thank you.


	4. Crime of Sorts

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 4: Crime of Sorts<em>**

A frustrate groan left Kagome as she slammed her head against the desk she sat behind. It didn't catch the attention of too many around her in the designated 'group study' area in the library. Around finals, it was common practice for students to show such utter hopelessness. When it came to her calculus final that's exactly what she was -_ hopeless_. No matter how many times dear Houjo explained the way the problem worked it made no sense to her.

And they'd been at it for an hour.

Not to mention she still had that paper to write for her English class, she mentally cursed herself for deciding to continue on with a foreign language. It wasn't required for either of her majors, but she thought it would be a good addition to her resume and she was fairly good at it. She better be, since she'd been studying it since middle school.

Oh, gods … then there was that Marking Services group project was due in only a couple days but one of her group members hadn't finished his part yet which mean _none_ of them could completely finish theirs.

Then there was the final organic chemistry lab, which would be followed the next day by a 150 question multiple choice final. As if that wasn't bad enough she had her own personal project on researching consumer behavior due by the end of the week.

Why was she doing this to herself?

"That's why you _don't_ double major," she heard to her left, knowing full well that her roommate was about to mock her choice once more. "Biology and Marketing? Those two aren't even connected. You can't even _overlap_classes to get a credit for each. Then trying to get an English minor? What, do you have a death wish?"

"I think it's great that you are trying so hard, Kagome," Houjo defended, as he always did. She finally lifted he head to smile to him for that.

"It's really hard sometimes," she admitted as she straightened up in her seat.

Already knowing the answer, Ayame asked yet again, "Why'd you do it, then?"

"I told you, it's not a guaranteed thing that I'll get into Tokyo U's medical school. I decided I need a backup plan: marketing. If I do that, then it'll be great if I have an English major, too." It was true, double majoring with a minor - particularly when they were so different - was really difficult at times. She regretted it more often than not but … it made her mother very proud.

It made her family glow with pride whenever they could tell someone that she was at Tokyo U and what she was majoring in. Her parents never got the chance to go to college but they still provided a great life for her. They still _paid_ for her tuition, she felt more than just obligated to do her best because of that.

All of that was ringing around her head so much that she barely noticed her phone go off, until she felt an elbow in her side. Her hazels shifted from Ayame to the phone she had sitting out on the table to be her clock. When she saw the caller ID she picked it up a little annoyed. She really didn't have time for him.

"Something's been bothering me," was the first thing she heard from him. He hardly sounded like he was in a good mood and neither was she. If he didn't watch himself, she'd snap at him.

"And what's that?" Kagome inquired with a sigh. She wasn't aware that they were at that level where they could call each other up to just vent. It wasn't as if they were friends with benefits, they were never friends before they started to fool around and she didn't really consider them that now. They were _toyfriends_ - not boyfriend and girlfriend, but just people that messed around with each other.

No freakin' strings attached, why was it that he seemed not to understand that concept? Would she have to have yet another talk with him? She really, really could not deal with an actual relationship with a class schedule like hers. She hadn't even seen Inuyasha since that mind blowing night a couple days ago.

"Why did it take me a month to get into your pants but my brother only one and a half hours?"

Again, she sighed heavily enough that he could surely hear it through the phone.

"Don't be a dick, Inuyasha, I'm going to hang up on you," she said. Earning Houjo's honest attention since it was rather rare to hear her curse like that.

"I'm not being a dick," he retorted. "I'm asking a real question. I just want to know. I'm not mad."

At least, he wouldn't admit it.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it does."

"Are you in a fight with him or something, is that it?"

There was a long enough silence that she figure she was absolutely right. She gave her friends a sign with her hands before she got up to walk out of the library, she'd be back after she was done with the phone call. Even in the group study area, it was rude to take a call when it had nothing to do with studying.

When the sun hit her, she smiled, summer was her favorite season. It was warm, there was plenty of sunlight, and _summer vacation_. The one time of the year when she didn't have to worry about school, and her very last. Next year at that time she'd be … graduating from college and worrying about getting into medical school or getting a real job. Probably both. Just in case one of them ended up failing for her.

Again, her thoughts were far from the phone call, that's why he had to snap her back.

"Hey, you there? I'm talking to you," he almost shouted.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, what?"

It was his turn to sigh. "Just tell me what Sesshomaru's got that I don't."

It was odd how he phrased that, as if he was her boyfriend and begging to find out what the other guy had that he didn't - why she was leaving him for the other. "It wasn't anything," she assured, "I was just horny and he was hot and there. We were so close to doing it the night before but that drunken idiot my roommate brought back ruined the moment. That's all."

"Then you should have _called _me," he growled, "I would have relieved your honry-self _my_self."

"Damn it, Inuyasha, why are you being like this? Because he's your brother or because I had sex with someone else? We _are not_ dating. We _are not_ exclusive. You understand that, right?"

"I get that, it's not like I want to date a fucking twenty-some year old college student," he snapped right back. "It's because he's my brother. My fucking dip-shit, jackass, mother fucking brother."

"Can you try and use less vulgar language?"

"You're really starting to piss me off, Kagome," he said before he hung up.

She just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she walked back into the library, hoping she'd finally get the math problem and not fail Calculus. She couldn't deal with Inuyasha and his drama, the whole reason of fooling around with him was to be _relationship_ and _drama_ free. Apparently, that was failing miserably. Eventually, she'd have to fix that or just let him go.

Maybe it wasn't easier to be with someone older than her - someone who was an indefinable amount older, at that.

"I still need to google him," she muttered to herself, maybe she'd be able to figure out how old he was that way.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was just about to be finals week, and her uncle was more than willing to give her that week and the one that followed off. She considered taking him up on that offer, and spending the next two weeks cramming completely for them, but she needed the money if she was going to go on vacation to Kyoto to visit Ayame as she planned to. Her finals week she would take off, the week before she'd just juggle classes, work, and writing papers.

The latter was what she was actually doing that slow even, her rough draft over her research into the American Revolution. It wasn't hard finding information on it, there was plenty out there to write a five page paper but … actually finding the right words, the right order _for_ those words, and then grammar - she cringed at the thought of it all.

It did help that she was working at the bookstore, though, since her uncle also had an extensive foreign book section and she was able to find one that had enough information for her to start on the paper. Her professor always preferred her sources being actual books instead of internet sources anyway. Two solid hours had gone by since she started the paper, perhaps twenty minutes of which was consumed with helping customers, before she felt like she was finally getting the hang of it. Finally finding her rhythm.

Another half hour and she was done with it, of course she'd be reviewing it when she got back to her dorm that night to make sure she didn't have any grammar or spelling errors before she started to type it up.

"Excuse me," caught her attention after she slid her English textbook and the paper she had written into her backpack. When she saw finally looked up to see the handsome violet eyed man, she smiled. "You're Kagome, right?"

"That I am," she nodded, "and your Miroku?"

"Yes," he said with a smile, "I'm afraid I have another rather heavy book to pick up."

"What's a young businessman such as yourself doing with all these antiques?" she asked before turning around to find the one that had his name. She couldn't recall his last name until she saw it, _Akimoto_. It was a fairly common last name, but it seemed like she had heard it in the not too distant past from somewhere else. All the same, she lugged it up onto the counter.

"I'm a collector," he answered, flashing a smile that could make a girl swoon. Since discovering his friendship with Inuyasha, though, she had become immune.

"So, is Inuyasha really VP of Sales or did he just make up that business card he showed me?" she teased, which got him to laugh lightly.

"He is VP, my boss in fact."

"Ah, so you're co-workers, not friends," she said. It would be difficult to actually socialize with your boss.

"He's a friend, not just a co-worker. It's dark out, do you need me to walk you back to your place or the closest station?"

"Just because I'm girl doesn't mean I'm incapable of getting around by myself," she asserted, sweetly, before adding, "but I appreciate the thought."

"I figured as much, you'd have to be able to handle yourself if you're with Inuyasha," he kidded as he picked up his book.

"We aren't dating." She surely hoped he wasn't telling people that.

"I'm aware of that," he replied with a smile before saying goodbye and leaving. She supposed that was her cue to get to the closing chores, like cleaning everything but she closed down the cash register, push the money away in the safe in the back, locked it, and then grabbed her things before locking up the door. It closed at nine every night, which usually meant she was back to her dorm by nine fifteen, give or take a couple of minutes.

She'd probably get done with her English paper by ten twenty and then she'd have time to focus on studying for some of her finals. Probably organic chemistry that night, then calculus in less she was too tired and just wanted to sleep. It probably wasn't the greatest idea not to pay attention, to have her thoughts filled with such planning.

Somehow… a weird something caught her attention, an odd sensation that caused her to check her surroundings and notice someone not too far away from her waking in the very same direction. That someone with the red eyes, pale skin, and dark, long, hair… it couldn't be. It just couldn't be the same man… it wasn't like she was stalker worthy.

Then again, stalkers hardly had to have great reasons so she slipped into the first opened place she found, which happened to be a coffee shop. She ordered herself a tea and sat down close to the counter where there were plenty of workers that could watch what she was doing.

This just couldn't be happening… not only did it make no sense but she really did not have the time. She had to finish her paper and study.

Regardless, she pulled out her phone and made the call to a certain man. Hoping he'd answer and wasn't still 'annoyed' with her from earlier. She was rather bothered by him, herself, but under this circumstance she was willing to put his childish behavior beside. It was a bit possessive, really, and she hated it when people that she was _theirs_.

It took two tries before he _finally_ answered. Grudgingly he grunted, "What, Kagome? I'm busy."

"Remember how you said to call you if I see that guy again?" she questioned as her eyes turned to the window, she almost jumped into her seat when she saw him - the creeper with the crimson eyes - just standing outside_watching_ her. That was enough to get her heart pounding with fear. Should she call the police instead of Inuyasha…?

"Did you just see him or is he standing outside your dorm again? There's a lot of people in there, Kagome, he could be an ex of someone else or somethin'," he answered. She did take note that the annoyed edge to his tone had faded considerably.

"Uh…" she barely began as she turned her eyes away from that man. "He started to follow me home from work so I entered the first opened place I could find. It's a coffee shop, and now he's just standing outside the window … staring at me. Inuyasha, this is really freaking me out. Should I call the police or something?"

"Where are you? Right now?"

"The place is called Cup of Delight and it's near where I work, it's one -"

"I'll find it, give me fifteen minutes, don't leave that place and get a worker if he comes in, a'right? Do you understand?"

"I get it but … should I just call the police?"

"Has he talked to you, has he tried to assault you, has he done anything that's illegal? If not, they won't do a damn thing about it. I'll be there soon."

"Do you have to hang up?"

He was quite for a while. "I think I'd get there quicker if I did."

Reluctantly, she said goodbye before he ended the call. If he was at work or his place it'd take him _at least_ a half hour to get to this side of Tokyo. More if he was at work. That's why she couldn't help but continue to fidget in her chair as she looked over her untouched tea. Praying and hoping that when she looked up, that man would be gone.

Yet… each time she did, there he was, just staring.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Ten minutes. Exactly ten minutes, give or take a couple of seconds, at least that's what her phone told her once she saw Inuyasha coming in through a different door than she had. She'd look from her tea, to her clock, to the window every fifteen seconds or so, and when she finally noticed the familiar man enter - in his suit, no less - she was shocked. Even he had said it would take him longer.

He pulled out a seat next to her and sat down, ever so close, before his attention shifted outside the window to see the problem.

"Thank you," she whispered as she grasped one of his hands with both of hers. That seemed to gain his attention, rather quickly, his puzzled auburn eyes shifted to her. "I really, really, appreciate this. He's freaking me out."

He was silent for a second or two before he asked, "You've never seen this guy before? I mean, other than him outside your dorm and stuff, never talked to him? Never helped him at your work? Nothing?"

"I've been thinking about it this whole time, and other than outside my dorm and near the station that night you came over, I really can't think of a damn thing. I don't know who he is … what do we do?" she questioned with a pout.

"Don't worry, you're not going to do anything, I'll take care of this," he said. He pulled his hand away from hers and started towards the door she had came in thru - the one that the creeper stood out of.

"Inuyasha," she whined, trying to get his attention back. What if that guy was dangerous? What if he tried to hurt him? Was he really thinking this through well enough? She highly doubted it, all the same he just waved his had back at her - essentially telling her to shove it - before he walked out the door. The creeper recognized his presence instantly before Inuyasha pulled him out of view.

The entire _five minutes_ that Inuyasha was gone, Kagome was fairly certain she was holding her breath. The longer she did, the more she was certain she could feel her own heartbeat, hear it pounding in her head, then there was that stuffy suffocating feeling that consumed her chest.

It all faded once she saw him return to her sight, unharmed, not even dirt on his suit as he walked back in and sat down next to her.

It took her asking what happened for him to start talking. "Don't worry about it, I took care of it."

"How?"

"I just did."

"_How_?"

"I _did_, what else matters?" He rubbed his brow as she staunchly stared at him. Apparently, she thought that that look would get him to spill, instead he changed the subject completely. "Your major is…?"

She cocked a brow. "What's that matter?"

"It just dose, what are you majoring in again? Something related to business, right?" He was fairly certain she mentioned that to him, and that was the general idea, he just couldn't remember specifics.

"Marketing," she drew out, "is one of them, biology is the other."

"Your double majoring?" he questioned with a lifted brow of his own. "Why?"

"In case I don't get into medical school, I'll get a job in marketing." It wasn't weird for people to double major, granted they usually had two related fields of study, but she didn't think it was _that_ odd. The way people always reacted when she told them proved her wrong. Inuyasha was no different.

But he let it go and shrugged. "And your school's finishing up for the summer sometime soon, right? Are you from Tokyo? Or somewhere else?"

"Born and raised here." Why had their conversation turned to this? Why did he suddenly care to learn things about her? She was about to ask just that, but he spoke again.

"Good. There's an internship at Gami, Inc., and I think you should apply. It's for college students that are going from their third year to their fourth. Applications are due in two days."

For a moment, she was speechless, then she found her voice again. "Why do you say that…? Why are you asking all these question?"

"Gami is a highly respected company, if you have an internship with us on your resume you'll find a better job, it probably would even help with getting into medical school. We donate a lot of money to Tokyo U. I'm sorry I thought of you when I heard about this," he gripped the end, apparently he simply annoyed her with his _kind_ suggestion.

He had a point … and again she reached out to take one of his hands into both of hers, squeezing them tightly. "Thank you for helping me, Inuyasha. I'll apply."

After all, what was the worst thing that could happen?

**.oooOoOooo.**

She had her English book with her and Inuyasha's laptop apparently had the ability to type in English, so she eagerly went back with him to his apartment. The very last thing she wanted to do was be in the dorms by herself that night. Ayame wasn't really a comfort to have there. She also didn't want to worry his friend with the situation. Maybe she wouldn't believe it, because she barely believed it herself … why someone was stalking her. Someone she's never met before? It was a bit unbelievable.

Once she got there, he got his laptop and gave it to her so she could write her paper. Then he went to his desk to yank a couple folders out to look over and walked into his living room, closing the door, to make a call. He seemed to like to bring his work home with him.

It oddly soothing to know that Inuyasha was just outside the door if she needed him, that and the fact that his complex actually had security. There were two guards and a couple clerks that one had to get by to get upstairs. If you didn't live there then they'd check to see if you were on the guest list, or if someone had called ahead. Since she was actually with Inuyasha all the times she came back to his, they never bothered her.

He must have been paying _a lot_ for his place for service like that.

It took her about an hour to complete the paper, she hadn't the brain power to do any more studying so she sent the paper to her school e-mail address and walked out into the living room to hand him back his computer. He was still preoccupied on his mobile, though.

"Yeah… uh-huh… I understand… I do. I'm not trying to start an argument," he stopped midway through a sentence once he noticed her. "I've got to go. I'll contact you soon."

"Sorry to interrupt," she started then handed him back his laptop. He putted it down on the coffee table.

"Not a problem. I really wanted to get off of that call," he grumbled as he rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. "Are you going to stay the night?"

"It's already past eleven," she said, "might as well. My first class isn't until ten tomorrow, I could be back to campus in plenty of time."

More importantly, it'd be light outside by then and she'd feel far better about walking home then.

"I'm guess from the general drained look on your face that grateful, thank you, sex is off the table tonight?"

To that, he only got a dull stare. He supposed that meant 'yes.'

"I'm not even in the mood," he said. He hadn't planned on contacting her that day anyway.

"I'm going to sleep now."

"I've got some more work to do. I've got to be at work by eight tomorrow so you'll be alright walking to your class yourself?"

"Yeah, do you think that guy will be annoying me again?"

He shook his head.

"Will you tell me what he wanted … or what you did to make him go away?"

Again, he just shook his head.

With a huff of annoyance and a shake of her head turned around and stomped back into his bedroom to go to bed in his nice, large, king sized bed. The one he never even bothered to join her in that night.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Texts were sent between them from that night to the next week, but she didn't have time to see him with finals and he apparently hadn't the motivation to see her either. Still, after all he did for her, she felt obligated to check on him every other day to make sure he was still alive. And to show interest, of course.

Their texts never went too far, just some half-hearted 'how are you today?' and quick 'fines' as a reply. For some fleeting times, she pondered whether he was bored with her, she had suddenly become more of a hassle to him than she had meant. Any worries she had in him thinking their relationship was something more than a fling faded, since he was seemingly fine with not seeing her all that time.

Still … she often wondered what he did to make that creeper go away. She was on an heighten alert since that event, always watching out, always trying to avoid walking alone at night or even being off campus at that time.

That didn't stop her from going partying with her roommate and a set of friends when she was done with her last final. They were all so good, no drinking, no dancing, no _fun_ all finals week in order to study, study, and study some more. The second they got the chance they were hitting apartment parties of friends or going to bars with some boys.

One shot, a cosmo, two shots, a martin, three shots, another cosmo, and then another shot … and Higurashi Kagome was utterly wasted and willing to make a series of stupid choices. All year she had been drinking but in moderation. She hated the side effects of getting drunk. But she had plenty of reasons to drink that night. Celebration and concern being the leading two.

Both Hiro and Houjo were at the last party she hit that night and it was _well_ into the night, one might even say morning but the sky was still coated black. One minute one boy was trying to get her attention, trying to get her to dance with him, the next it'd be the other. Neither of them got along back in high school, so when they finally figured out that they were both making a move on her they got into a little tiff and she was _so sick_ of boys doing that.

First Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, no Hiro and Houjo? She wasn't going to deal with that. It wasn't as if Hiro, Houjo, Sesshomaru, or even Inuyasha cared about her. They just wanted to have sex with her and she was _not _in the mood for that.

So she did something stupid … she left.

All be herself to find her way to a station and back to campus. Unintentionally, she did something smart, too. On her unstable stroll to find a place to hop onto a train, she decided that drunk dial Inuyasha at three on that Thursday night was just a _brilliant_ idea. He didn't answer at first, which only sparked her to leave a voicemail.

"Inuyasha!" She chimed, laughing lightly as she stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. "Why don't you have your own voicemail message? Why is that stupid robot voice all there is? _Inuyasha_, why didn't you answer my call, huh? So rude! Why haven't I _seen_ you lately? School sucks! I'm so glad I'm almost done with it. Unless I go to medical school … ugh, but that's what my mom wants me to do but my grandpa wants me to be a businesswoman. It's so hard to please everyone. Blah! So annoying!"

It was a pointless rant, and even drunk she was fairly certain Inuyasha didn't care to hear most of that. He'd probably just delete it when he realized it wasn't a naughty midnight call. She got a beep, telling her that she ran out of time and then got hung up on. Infuriated, she just called him again.

That time he bothered to answer the phone, groggily. "Goddamn it … Kagome it's late. It's the first night I've gotten to bed at a reasonable time in ages. So what do ya' want? I don't want to fuck you right now."

"Psh!" She grunted in response. "You're being an ass, as always."

"… Are you drunk?"

"_Maybe_," she dragged out, giggling slightly in the end.

He sighed heavily. "Do you need me to pick you up? That seems like more of a thing friends do. Last time I checked, I was just your _toy_friend."

"That's not what this is!" She asserted giddily.

"Ah, is this a booty call? 'Cause I told ya', I ain't in the mood."

"_Fine_," she grumbled but that was the last thing she'd say to him that night. A hand covered her mouth and yanked her away, forcing her to drop her phone before she felt herself slammed against the brick building she had been walking by. When her hazels finally caught sight of who was in front of her they widened.

Crimson gaze … pale skin, long silky black hair. She tried to struggle, she tried to scream, but nothing could e heard but the scuffle of her clothes against the wall.

The next thing she knew there was a piercing pain panged through her abdomen, unlike any she had ever felt.

Then there he spoke, it was the first time she heard his voice … yet it was strangely familiar. In that haze of hurt and alcohol, there was no way she'd realize that. All she knew was that his words made no sense.

"You'd thank me for this, if only you knew."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: You have no idea how happy it made me to see all those reviews for the last chapter. I really hope that you continue to review and enjoy the story. There was pretty much an even number of people that wanted a preview and who didn't. So I'll compromise. I'll give the chapter title as a preview. That way no spoilers and it's a bit of a tease._

_Next chapter: **Bloods Shown to Come Undone**  
><em>

_Please **review**!_


	5. Blows Shown to Come Undone

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 5: Bloods Shown to Come Undone<em>**

The words rang out within her head, "You'd thank me for this, if only you knew."

None of that overshadowed the pain she felt when he yanked the sharp object out of her side. Her assaulter let her go enough that she could fall down onto the dirty alleyway floor. It was probably a mix of shock, fear, and pain that made what happened next a blur.

All she knew was that she could see the dark red liquid pool out from her gut, and shadows move around…

… then there were voices, a lot of them, and a bright light, shuffling, the sound of clothes tearing, and wheels across the ground. Someone barking orders to another…

Finally, Kagome was able to pry open her eyes. At first, the room she was in seemed as bleak as the dark side of the moon. Her hazels hovered over the scene, not registering much of anything, until it landed on someone sitting next to her. She was certain she knew who it was, _Inuyasha_. A smile laced up her lips before she could think to say anything.

The next moment, in what seemed like but a blink to her, her surroundings were bright. So much so she winced and shut her eyes again, covering her eyes with her arm, feeling a strange tug and prick on the backside of her hand.

"Kagome?"

She knew that voice, she didn't even have to think about who it was, just where it was coming from. Her head turned from her left to the right to see mother sitting there. Relief flushed through the middle aged women as she scooted to the edge of her chair. For a moment she looked like she was glowing - though, that probably had a lot to do with the fact that there was a rather large, blinding, window behind her. That, and her mother always had a way about her.

No one, _no one_, could ever meet the sweet lady and not like her.

"I was so worried," she whispered as she reached out her hand to grab one of Kagome's. That's when she realized why she felt that prick, there was an IV hocked onto her hand … which meant she was in the hospital. When her eyes moved around the room it only verified that.

Which brought one ringing question, _how _did she get there?

"Mom," she said and squeezed her hand back. "What happened?"

"You," she slowly started with a deep seeded frown, "were … attacked, sweetie, on your way back to the dorms two days ago. Someone mugged you and s … stabbed you."

When she heard it, it slowly came back. She stared down at her stomach that was covered in sheets. She made just one small movement to feel a pang of pain pulse through her. That was what happened. The creeper…? Right, she was fairly certain that was who did it. After everything, he just wanted to steal her clutch?

She needed a new phone, to cancel her credit card, and disable her debit card, she only had a little cash on her but also her Tokyo U ID. Getting a new one of those was going to be annoying. But none of that mattered as much as the concern that crept it's way deep into her mother's new wrinkles.

"I was so scared," she choked again, squeeze her daughter's hand tighter. "That I was going to lose you, too. My baby girl…"

There was no point in asking what she meant by that … she knew. So she forced a smile for her mom. "I'm fine, mom. I feel fine."

Before they could carry on their conversation further, an old man walked into the room to gain both their attention. Quickly, well, as quickly as an old fellow like him could walk into the room and sat his old bones down on the edge of her bed.

"Grandpa, you shouldn't come all this way," Kagome said with a small pout. Regardless of which hospital they took her to, it couldn't have been close to her house and that meant he walked _all_ the way. He didn't trust cars in the least bit. He _hated_ the things.

"I'm as healthy as an ox." He narrowed his eyes before he let it go. "I'm relieved to see you're doing better. We were worried when we got the call. Grand-baby, what were you doing out so late at night by yourself?"

"It wasn't smart of me." She was hardly about to admit she was ridiculously drunk. That would be the _last _time she'd ever touch alcohol again in her life.

"First I lose my boy, and now this?" he said. It was a rare sight to see such a worn and worried look upon his face. He always put on a strong front, trying to pretend as if all the troubles in his life only made him stronger and didn't affect his heart or soul. When a crack was shown, when she could _see_ the pain so visible on his face, she always felt horrible. Her own stupidity hurt her grandpa…

She was pretty young when her dad died That was when her grandpa came to live with them for moral support - probably just as much for him as it was for her mom. After all, her little brother had only just been born. Her mom had an annoying loud five-year-old, who was always rushing around the house, a shrine to take care of, and a newborn. She needed her grandpa's help. Just as much as he needed hers.

Fifteen years ago, her dad was killed by a hit and run. It wasn't just an accident, he wasn't in the middle of the street. No, her dad was walking on the sideway and the car rammed a rail to pin him to wall. The driver got out and left, without a word, without calling for help.

Her dad died there on the street, alone and in pain…

She had almost followed in his footsteps.

**.oooOoOooo.**

The doctors wanted her to stay for a couple of days to make sure that everything was working properly. She only had minimal damage done, all things considering. The man could have stabbed her just a bit more to the left and hit a major organ, causing her _way _more problems.

A couple of times the police came by to check her story, to figure out if she had seen the person's face enough to make a sketch. She couldn't … she could recognize him but not tell someone how to draw it. So, instead, they had her look at mug shots. _A lot_ of them. None of them were familiar. None had those red eyes.

"A red eyed thief?" one of the cops had questioned, with a cocked brow. She knew what the look on his face had said. He didn't believe her, she was delusional in that moment and of course _drunk_. But she wasn't going to feel bad about that. She knew she was of the legal drinking age and wasn't going to let the man make her feel like she had committed a crime herself and thus _deserved_ it.

On top of that, she had constant visitors. First it was her watery eyed roommate, Ayame, who felt _so_ bad.

"I just knew I shouldn't have let you leave that night!" she had said while shedding tears. She had brought her a large set of balloons to make up for it. Kagome didn't blame her, not in the least bit, and Ayame seemed to accept that after the hundredth time she was told.

On top of that, Ayame got that internship at Gami, Inc. When they went there a couple weeks ago while she was with Sesshomaru in his office, Akimoto Kouga was telling the rest of them where and when to send their resumes. She was happy for her roommate. That'd be a great resume buster. But she was a bit disappointed … no summer trip to Kyoto.

The pay for the internship was great and it offered housing for them, too, which meant that Ayame wouldn't have to find an apartment to live in over the summer. And apartments in Tokyo weren't cheap.

Hiro and Houjo both visited, each time bring more and more flowers. A couple other friends, all she went out with that night, came by and gave her gifts. It was touching, but she was really running out of room in the hospital and didn't know if she wanted to bother getting them all back to her house.

Ugh … she had to live at home that summer, just like every other. She loved her mom, loved her brother, and adored her weird old grandpa, but she hated the reduction of freedom it brought. The only way she could feel right about living on campus instead of at home was by getting a scholarship that covered it. Her father's life insurance was what was paying for her tuition and though her mother offered to use more to cover for living expenses, Kagome refused. If she did it properly then there would be money left for Souta to go to college.

That's why medical school could be a problem … she'd have to pay for that on her own. But doctors had just saved her life so that path seemed so much more appealing all of a sudden than marketing. Then again, she had no real experience in either fields. Maybe if she got some then she'd be able to figure out what she really wanted?

"Hey," snapped her back to the now. She had just gotten out of the bathroom after changing out of those ghastly gowns and into her normal clothes. It was the first time she got a good look at her own wound. It didn't look horrible, just still ached and she prayed it wouldn't leave a scar.

"Inuyasha," she said once she saw who it was. There he stood at her door, leaning against it as he looked her over. "Who told you I was here?"

He lifted a brow at that, as if it was a stupid question. He pushed off the doorway to walk up to her. His eyes scanning over her again before meeting her hazel eyes. "I'm the one who brought you to the hospital."

And that gave her the last piece to the puzzle, how she was found and brought to the hospital. Well, that actually wasn't true. There was another question. "_How_ did you find me?"

"You were on the phone with me when it happened," he slowly said. "I guess it makes sense you don't remember. You were pretty drunk and then the shock from the attack … I'm glad to see you up. I was worried."

"If I was on the phone," she dragged out, "did I tell you where I was?"

"Yeah, you mentioned it."

"Thank you," she said as she grabbed his hands. "You're my hero."

"Don't mock me," he ordered with narrowed eyes.

She shook her head slightly, with a smile, probably the first true-hearted one she showed him. "I'm serious. I probably would have bleed to death if you didn't bring me here. Thank you, so much. I really owe you."

"It's alright," he said awkwardly.

She figured that he just wasn't great when it came to accepting praise or appreciation. "Seriously, you didn't have to go through all that effort, you could have just - "

"Let you die?"

She frowned. "That's not what I meant, you could have hung up on me sooner. I was probably being annoying, huh?"

"Yeah," he nodded fervently at that, "really annoying."

"I'm never drinking again in my life."

He shrugged. If he had been stabbed because he was drunk and too stupid to know better than going out by himself, he'd stop drinking. He pulled his hands away from hers to pull out an envelope from his suit. She guessed from the outfit that he stopped by on her a break from work. Then he handed it to her. With a bent brow she looked between him and what he gave her.

"Just open it already, Kagome."

"Alright," she said. She slid her thumb under the top to open it and let the letter slide out. She then flipped it so that she could read the right side. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was. "Inuyasha… I…"

"Don't thank me for that," he ordered with a point to it. "It's because of your academic records and apparently…" he cleared his throat, glaring out the window, "you impressed Sesshomaru enough, too."

She cringed, but still kept her eyes on the paper. There was more than one internship up for grabs … both her and Ayame got one. It even offered to give her accommodations if she didn't have any in Tokyo. Would her mom feel insulted if she took one of the intern apartments instead of living at home that summer…?

"Considering your rough start to the summer, you starting a week after the rest would be understandable. If you want, you can stay in one of the apartments we have for the interns."

"Would I be … working _for_ Sesshomaru?"

"Yeah, he's the Marketing VP. You probably wouldn't see him often. You'd be a couple floors under, almost never directly deal with him." If Inuyasha had his way, she'd _never_ deal with him.

"Great. I really don't want to have to work for him." She had kind of burnt that bridge. If she had been a good girl during that meeting and focused on their tips and speeches she wouldn't mind but … she hadn't. She had screwed him instead, working for someone she had _sex_ with would have been awkward. Hopefully he wasn't expecting an encore for this.

"No one does, he's a hard ass."

She smiled at that as she looked from the letter of acceptance to Inuyasha. "Oh, and you aren't? I bet you're a very difficult man to work for."

He shrugged with a small smirk. "We won't be working together, ya' know? We'll be in completely different departments."

"That's good," she said with a nod. "I would hate people to think that just because we're screwing around means I get special treatment."

The fact that he didn't say anything in reply to that forced a her to frown. "We are still … screwing around, right?"

He opened his mouth to say something before closing it again and shifting his weight from one foot to the next. His auburn eyes shifted away from her hazels and to all the flowers instead.

"Seriously, you came to visit me in the hospital to tell me we're … done?" That was rather rude. He could have just waited an hour and then she'd be outside.

"It's gotten … complicated," he said as his eyes shifted back to her.

"Oh, yeah, well, I'm _so_ sorry that I got stabbed by that creepy stalker that _you_ said _I_ didn't have to worry about anymore." She folded her arms and narrowed her gaze on him.

That only earned a sour look before he grunted, "Sorry. I thought I had that under control."

"Fine," she muttered back as she grabbed the bag her mother had left for her and started to walk right by him, roughly bumping into him.

"Kagome." He started to follow her out, but she gave him the cold shoulder until she got to the nursing station where she checked out. He silently waited until she was finished and grabbed her bag from her before she could protest. "I just said that things got complicated, not that we're done. Women, you all get bent out of shape over the smallest things."

She rolled her eyes at his little comment.

"But your still injured, right? So it's not like we can have sex anytime soon."

"I guess you're right." In the grand scheme of things, _they_ weren't really important. "So … Inuyasha, am I going to have to worry about that … that guy coming and finding me again? I mean he had my ID and it has my address on it … that freaks me out."

"That's why you'll stay at one of the apartments," he said, as if it was a stupid question.

"But my family lives there," she snapped.

"His interest was obviously in you. If you aren't there then it's not important."

"Yeah, let's just check your record of being right about all of this. Oh, wait, you've been nothing but wrong! Why don't you tell me what you think you could give him to leave me alone, anyway? Maybe I shouldn't have trusted you."

"Look," he grumbled as he rubbed his temples, "I was wrong. I admit that. Just don't worry about it, a'right?"

"No, not _a'right_," she snapped, "because last time you said that I got stabbed."

"Just trust me," he said after they exited the hospital. "I'll explain everything to you on Monday. Ok? I promise."

"Why Monday? Why not today?"

"'Cause I said so," he said before opening the passenger door to a black Mercedes Benz SLS 63 AMG. Kagome didn't know that, all she knew was that it was a two door Mercedes Benz that looked ever so fancy. Probably worth four times four years at Tokyo U was.

"Where are we going?" she asked, but that didn't stop her from getting in the car and awing at the interior.

"I'm taking you home, you probably shouldn't be walking a lot with that injury, huh?"

"I'm not disabled," she retorted. "My mom and grandpa were going to come pick me up. I should really call them and tell them that I'm having a friend drive me home."

"Eh? So we're friends?" he grinned as he reached into the glove compartment to pull out her silver clutch and had it back to her. "I forget I had this but I figure it's yours, huh?"

"My … bag?" She took it back and opened it to see everything was there. Her credit card, debit card, Tokyo U ID, phone, money, and even lip gloss was still there. There was just one thing missing … her Driver's License. The creeper had stabbed her, rummaged in her bag, and left everything but her Driver's License?

That had all her information on it, her birthday and her home address. Why would he take that? When she asked, Inuyasha had a simple explanation.

"He probably didn't, you probably just left it at a bar, you were really drunk that night, right?"

"Why did he stab me? I thought he was trying to mug me but…?"

"Monday, Kagome," he said. He stopped in front of the stair case that led up to her house. "Give me until Monday and I'll explain plenty of things to you."

"I'm holding you to that," she stated stiffly as she exited the car and picked up her bags. "So, what? Are you going to call me? Am I going to go see you Monday, what?"

"You're starting at Gami then. Didn't you read that letter at all?"

"You said I got the first week off because of this," she said as she pointed to her stomach.

"Yeah, you were in the hospital the first week. Now that you're out, you don't have any excuse."

She just slammed his door shut at that, and he drove away.

What. A. Jerk.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Dawned in a green tunic with a brown belt, to show she had a waist under all that fabric, with matching green heels and a khaki blazer, Higurashi Kagome walked up to the dauntingly tall Gami, Inc. Its building was one of the highest in Tokyo. Probably other business rented space in the place, it was too big just for Gami, right? Those were the types of thoughts she was trying to ignore the jitters she felt.

The only job she ever had was working in her uncle's bookstore. This would be the first time she'd be working for someone who wasn't family. And for it to be at Gami … such an important company? She just took a breath before she stepped into the elevator to go up to the twenty-third floor where she was assigned to go.

There she had to find a Kobayashi Sango, who supervised all interns. It didn't take long, her office was the biggest on the floor.

"Come in," she heard after she had knocked. To say she was surprised to see Sango would be wrong. She had pretty much expected another young and attractive person to be so prominent in the company. If Kagome had to guess, Sango looked to be maybe two or three years older than her, she had a nice tan, perfect facial structure, and only needed to wear little if no make-up to emphasize her gorgeous features.

"You're Higurashi Kagome?" she guessed.

"Yes, I am."

"I like to partner up interns, I find it allows them to adjust to the work place better and gets work done faster," she began to explained and picked up a file off her desk and flipped it open. "Your partner's a Nikko Yura. She had to start late as well because of a family situation. She'll be here soon. Your first project is developing a marketing strategy for this," she stated then picked up another file to hand it to Kagome. "If you need anything, have any questions, feel free to try and use advice from other interns. Also, if need be, I'm here."

"Thank you." It took some searching to find Yura, who was a petit, fair skinned, short black haired girl with brown eyes. Apparently she was in her third year at Keio University.

But before she could get to work, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. "Kagome! I'm so happy to see you!"

"Ayame," she laughed as she wrapped an arm around her friend.

"Too bad we aren't partners, I'm teamed up with someone named Shippou." She sighed at the thought as she looked Kagome over. "You look good, we should get lunch together today. Alright?"

"Sure thing," she replied before turning her attention to Yura. "Would you like to join us?"

"If you didn't mind," she answered with a smile.

**.oooOoOooo.**

At the end of the day, Kobayashi Sango called her into her office. It was a little intimidating to be summoned, _alone_, to her supervisors office. What if she had done something wrong _already_? What if they were weeding out the interns until there was just one left? What if she was the first to go..?

Those were the types of thoughts that came to mind as she shut the door behind her. None of that was right. And she surely didn't expect what was next.

Kagome finally asked, "Yes, Miss Kobayashi?"

Sango set a few papers down as she looked up to the obviously nervous intern, she kept up her blank façade before she stated ever so frankly, "The VP you've fucked wants to see you."

Awe struck through her as she stared, dumbfounded at the women in front of her, her jaw dropped. "E… excuse me?"

"Do you need me to be more specific?"

She just swallowed before she shook her head and excused herself. Out of the four VP's she supposed she had slept with two of them … but she hoped that Sango only knew about one. She doubted that Sesshomaru remembered her name enough to go telling someone. That's why she decided to go all the way up to see Takamoru Inuyasha, fuming.

He _told_ Sango that they had sex? That was how she thought she should be summoned? He couldn't just call her?

"How can I help you, ma'am?" an elder, small, fellow with a large bold spot asked and a strange mustache.

"Um … yes," Kagome began, assuming that it was his secretary. At least she didn't have to be self conscious about a sexy one. Not that she would have… "I'm Higurashi Kagome, did Inuyasha want to see me?"

He stared at her blankly for a while with his big eyes before he nodded and pointed to the door. "_Mr._ Takamoru did summon you."

Right, _Mr. Takamoru_ that was the proper way to address him. She smiled at the old man, thanked him, and walked right in to see Inuyasha. It was fine that he wanted to see her, she wanted to see him, too.

It was Monday and he owed her some answers. On Friday she got a call telling her what apartment she was assigned so she spent the weekend moving her things there with the help of her little brother and mother - who was fairly upset to find out that she wouldn't be spending the summer with them yet proud of her achievement. Luckily, one of her two roommates was Ayame.

"You are an asshole," she stated instantly to earn his curious gaze. "What are you doing telling my supervisor that we have sex?"

"Who is your supervisor…?" he inquired with a raised brow.

"Kobayashi Sango."

"Ah," he nodded. "I don't talk to her, ever. So the only way she found out is through Miroku. I told him and he talks to her, a lot. He's got some unrequited love issues there. It's really pathetic."

"I don't appreciate her knowing that. She probably thinks even less of me than she already did."

He got up from behind his desk to walk around it. It was only then that she took a moment to survey the area. The area was just as spacious as Sesshomaru's, but his desk was a bit bigger. He also had a couch and from the looks of it he probably used it more than Sesshomaru's stiff, black, thin, leathered one. Though, she guessed Inuyasha actually slept on his sometimes.

All the same, her eyes ended up on him.

"You owe me a lot of explanations. You said you'd give them to me today."

"Did I?"

"I assumed that was why you called me up here," she countered with a narrow gaze. "Or did you have something else in mind?"

"Something else in mind entirely," he said with a grin as he placed his hands on her hips and backed her up against his door, so he could lock it then their lips. He lifted her off the ground, gently, then set her down on a filing cabinet that situated her perfectly to his heights. But before he could get further she pushed him away.

"Hey, tell me what I want to know or this _isn't_ going to happen," she ordered.

"Fine." He sighed, which got her to relax enough for him to lean in and kiss her again. It was bothersome that he thought that she could be so easily distracted but she wasn't entirely displeased by the way he parted her lips for him. Just for a while, she'd let him think he had won.

"You're outfit's cute," he whispered once he pulled away to pry open her khaki jacket and slide it down so that he could get a better look at the sleeveless green tunic.

"It's professional enough, right?" she questioned as her gaze shifted over herself. "I was kind of worried that I should've worn like … black slacks and some dress shirt."

"No, this is good," he assured before leaning in for another kiss. She did not mean for it to progress further than a kiss but it steadily began to as he pulled her closer. His hands wandered their way up her legs to hike up her skirt. She felt his lips curve into a grin once she wrapped her legs around him so that she could pull him close, and his slowly stiffening region could meet her progressively damping one.

She felt his fingers creep under her pink panties to try and pry them down. She had to arch herself upwards to allow him to slip them off fully. Then her hands slipped down his suit to push the jacket off of it. Carelessly, he let it fall to the ground. His hands worked to undo his belt and then his pants so they, too, could plummet downwards.

"Wait," she gasped as she pushed him away to get some breath. "No way are we doing it here. That's so inappropriate, we both work here now."

"So it was alright to fuck Sesshomaru in his office but not me? I don't accept that," he asserted stiffly.

She just groaned at that as she tried to push him away but it failed. He didn't budge in the least. It caused her mind to wander, his shoulders were so well built, so nice… no, she didn't want to think like that. So instead she shook her head and was about to say something, but his lips muffled whatever she wanted to say out. When he rubbed against her she couldn't keep her mind anywhere goo so she decided to just go through with it and talk to him later.

Her aroused aroma intoxicated him before positioning himself to enter, she gasped with delight as she bit her bottom lip. She didn't protest in the least bit not that he gave her ample time to. She placed her hand upon the back of his neck and yanked his lips to hers. He didn't like kissing when they needn't - aka, when they were having sex - but she liked it. And because of that, he put up with it.

The way he rocked in and out was not as energetic as he usually once, not nearly as rash either. It was… oddly gentle. And when she felt a pang of pain in her gut from the assault that she experienced only a little more than a week prior, she was thankful for that. If he were to use his usual vigor she'd surely be in pain.

The constant pounding within his chest was what he wanted to be the beat for his pace, but he knew for the time being the girl he was with couldn't deal with that. He let out a small moan as she synchronized her movements with his rhythm and yanked him closer to bit his bottom lip. He liked it when she did that… though he could have done without the kissing all together. It never did a damn thing for him.

She awed into his mouth when she felt his fingers fiddle with her precious pearl, he grinned when he felt her fingers twist in his hair. The more they moved, the closer each got to the one thing they both sought in that moment - blissful release, a moment where neither had to worry about a thing, where everything faded into a world of delight.

And in just a few more pulses, they both got just that.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"That was ok, right?" he asked as he finished fixing his belt and pulling on his suit jacket. His auburn eyes followed her as she folded her khaki jacket on the cabinet and hazels shifted around the room as if she were looking for something.

"That wasn't the best sex ever," she replied, assuming that that was what he meant.

He grumbled something to himself. "Not what I meant. Your wound, that didn't hurt it, right?"

"Oh, yeah," she chimed as she placed her hand over it. "No, not that badly. I don't think we undid any stitches."

"Good," he answered. "Are you … looking for something?"

"My underwear."

"Ah, you mean this?" he asked with a grin as he dangled the dainty pink panties by his finger. With a groan she snatched them away so she could put them back on. He just chuckled lightly to himself as he went behind his desk and sat down, taunting her with one more question. "Do you have a matching bra?"

"You'll never know." She walked around the desk to stand next to him, rather over him. She couldn't help but smile since she rarely got to look down at him.

"You know, you should be nicer to the man that saved your life."

That seemed to stump her into silence, which was a pleasant experience for him while he pulled out his drawer to put up a set of keys and then stand up. "Seeing as I did go through that effort. I'd hate to see it go to waste by letting you walk home alone. I'll drive you. I know which apartment complex the company rents."

"Awe, are we a big shot hero now?" She taunted back as she lightly smacked his cheek. "When you found me, was he already gone or did you need to fight him off?"

Seriousness was hardly the word he'd use to describe that tone, more like mocking. She was _mocking_ him, again. He just glared at her mildly before shaking his head and walking to the door, waving for her to follow him out of the office.

"Myoga, hold my calls until I get back."

"Why would you come back? It's almost six," Kagome countered.

"I've got a couple of things to deal with."

She was hardly surprised to find out he had a personal parking space in the garage or that he was reckless in pulling out of said parking space to peal down the ramp and out onto the street. When one was rich enough to own a car like that, she supposed he was rich enough to replace it if need be. He apparently didn't care about speed limits, either.

It didn't take long for him to get her to the apartment complex, it wasn't even much of a walk from Gami, Inc. Was he too lazy to just walk her there or did he want to show off his car to her yet again? She got the feeling it might have been the latter.

"I'll wait here until you get inside the building," he offered as he pulled into a spot and put his car in park.

She wasn't sure why but … the way he said that made her turn to him. He was serious about it, as if he did earnestly care whether she would be alright or not. She just grabbed his tie and tugged it so their lips could lock yet again. Somehow he knew right away it was different than times before. She took her time, slowly but surely and with her lids fully shut while he looked on in shock. Why was he surprised? It wasn't like they hadn't made out before but this … this time it was different.

This time he _felt_ something. Just like she did, and that's whys he pulled away to look into his awestruck auburns. Both frightened by the feeling.

"Bye," was all he heard before she was out the door and rushing into her complex.

He didn't even get to say something in return, his wide eyes were still on the scene in front of him.

For certain, there was one thing that each shared. A fear. A fear that festered so much that both would avoid the possibility at happiness together in order to avert the chance of getting heart broken.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"It's confusing," was the whole point of his story. Not that he gave a damn about her, like Miroku seemed to think was the moral. He hadn't called him into his office to get dating advice, since he was _not_ dating Higurashi Kagome. She was just a college student. If he wanted a relationship he'd have it with an older and far more mature lady than her.

"One minute she says we're nothing more than fuck buddies, but she uses some stupid word…" he paused in search of it, "oh, yeah, toyfriends. We're not even friends, she says, and blah, blah, blah but then just kisses me like that. As if we are dating or something … and she'll rant to me about stupid things."

"In all fairness, it's hardly stupid to be upset that Sango knows about your two's … tryst. I wouldn't have mentioned it to her if I had known that she would eventually end up working here. In hindsight I should have known once I met her," Miroku admitted. "But let's face the facts here, Inuyasha. You are all bent out of shape over this because you might actually like this girl."

"No, I don't," he grumbled back. "She's complicated and not worth it."

"Yet you haven't ended your 'toyfriend'-ship with her yet."

"You really aren't the guy I would be taking advice from when it comes to that type of thing, Miroku," he stated stiffly. "You're record is pretty shitty, look at what happened to you and Sango."

Once Inuyasha saw the effect of that comment he pressed his lips together. "Sorry…."

"It's not a problem," Miroku said with a weak attempt at smile.

He just bit his bottom lip as he glanced away. Then he finally started up again. "She works here now. It gets more complicated to fuck around with an employees."

"Yet, we all fuck around with each other here. That has hardly stopped you in the past."

"Maybe I've finally learned my lesson," he whispered. He leaned back in his seat and turned her auburn gaze out to the city lights of Tokyo. He did love his view.

"I doubt that, you did rush to her rescue, almost exposing yourself," Miroku reminded him, but didn't earn his friend's attention back. "You fought with a fellow ... to save her. That's against the rules. Not to mention you snuck into the hospital every night to visit her, naughty boy. Do you enjoy watching her sleep?"

All that got him was a binder filled with files thrown at his head, and a welt.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: You have no idea how happy it made me to see all those reviews for the last chapter! I know I said that last time but all the reviews for the last chapter were even better :)  
>As a reward for all the reviews I'm updating sooner than I original thought.<br>_

_Thank you everyone! I would appreciate any review for this chapter.  
><em>

_Next chapter: **Unnatural Truth**  
><em>

_Please **review**!_


	6. Unnatural Truth

_**Toyfriend  
>Chapter 5: <strong>__**Unnatural Truth**_

That day Kagome decided to wear a blue summer dress and a black suit jacket along with a pair of heels, though her feet did ache a bit from the pair she had worn the day prior. Sometimes, being beautiful meant being in pain. It was just one of the not so great features about being a girl. Men never had to deal with doing their hair, make-up, agonizing over which outfit to pick out, and wearing _heels_ at least that's what her and her roommates complained about as they got ready for their internship that morning.

Neither Ayame or her knew the third girl before they moved in. She appeared their age and was named Hayashi Kaede. Kagome hadn't socialized with her much, she was fairly certain she'd get along with the girl just fine. There was something about her pretty features that reminded her of … someone, but she just couldn't place her finger on what. Her hair was a lovely shade of deep brown, almost black, and her eyes the color of chocolate but it was really in the facial structure that she felt she knew someone who looked similar.

Sometimes, she thought about asking her, but really what could Kaede say in reply? 'Oh, yeah, I totally, magically, know who you are talking about!' Kagome highly doubted it.

Together the three girls walked the three blocks from their apartment complex, where all the other interns were staying, to the tall and daunting all glass window structured Gami, Inc. As soon as they got in they split apart to get to work on their own projects. Ayame was paired with a fellow redhead by the name of Shippou, Kaede was with a boy named Kohaku, and she was stuck with Yura.

Not that it was a bad thing, the girl just seemed far more preoccupied with office gossip than actual work sometimes. And she was _always_ messing with string to make different shapes, as if she couldn't stop fidgeting for a second.

But, really, Kagome enjoyed the internship even though she was just in her second day of it. The atmosphere was friendly and not overtly competitive, they all seemed comfortable with coming to each other for help, and they were even going to eat lunch together that day. Maybe Marketing was the way to go instead of medical school … well, that was what she was thinking until the group voted for her to take a set of files upstairs to the ever so intimidating VP himself.

"Why me?" Kagome whispered harshly to Shippou, the green eyed twenty-some year old with still very boyish features.

"I didn't want to go, and Kohaku didn't either. It's common knowledge he's nicer to pretty girls which left you, Ayame, Yura, and Kaede in the running. But they all called 'not it' before you did," he explained apologetically, even with a pout. Damn that pout … there was something about it that made it hard to say no.

She couldn't tell them the reason why she didn't want to go most of all. How she had had _sex_ with the man and didn't want to have to work with him in the least. She didn't even think an intern would have to … then again, it was just delivering some files. That did sound like a very intern-like-thing to do and she was fairly certain that she could just leave the files with his secretary instead of having to hand it to the VP herself.

Yeah, it would be like she was never there.

She had to take a deep breath in before pressing the proper button to get to his floor. Her heart pounded a little quicker with each increasing number. Steadily, she stepped out the elevator when she reached the right floor and walked passed two VP offices to get to the one she was looking for - Takamoru Sesshomaru.

"Can I help you?" A pleasantly cheerful girl inquired as she looked up from her computer and over to Kagome, with the biggest smile on her face.

"Yes," Kagome began as she flashed her a smile back before her eyes darted down to the name plate on her desk. "Rin, would you give these to Mr. Takamoru?"

"Certainly," she assured as she took the files and set them in a pile. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

She was about to say 'not at all' and thank her before leaving but the door opened up and caught her attention instead. Her _complete_ attention, at that, since there stood Miss Condescending from the day before who silently bitched at her for having sex with Inuyasha. Kobayashi Sango was standing at the door, readjusting her skirt, and fixing her lipstick, and she could see from a quick peek behind her that Takamoru Sesshomaru was fixing his pants and sliding his belt back on.

Her jaw literally dropped at that sight … what a hypocrite!

The moment Sango noticed her, her face went blank, before she managed to stutter a, "Miss… Higurashi, what are you doing here?"

"Since no one could find you," and she had apparently discovered the reason why just then, "we decided to send these files up ourselves … I was just leaving them for Rin here."

"Oh … yes, well, very good." Sango stepped out all the way and shut the door behind her. "Carry on now, I'm sure you'll want to go to lunch on time."

"Uh-huh," she murmured back before turning on her heels and walking away. Instead of going back down the elevator to meet her friends she walked down one VP office and marched right in Takamoru Inuyasha's, leaving his secretary - who liked to be called an _Executive Assistant _- stuttering about proper protocol.

"Kagome," Inuyasha groaned after he heard the door slam shut behind her. He didn't even have to look up from his computer to know she was standing with her arms folded and a pair of hot hazels staring a hole through him. "What'd I do this time?"

"It wasn't you." She walked up to sit down at one of the chairs across from his desk. Her hands clenching it tightly. "I can't believe Ms. Kobayashi is having sex with Sesshomaru and she got all bratty about me and you! That's just not fair!"

That finally got him to raise a brow and turn his gaze to her. "How did you know about those two?"

"I just saw her walking out of his office after an _obvious_ quickie. It's so frustrating!"

"They're stupid, if it makes you feel any better. They think no one knows about them but everyone does. Idiots," he grumbled the last word to himself as he shook his head and returned his attention to his computer. "Are you done with that rant now or are you going to continue?"

"Continue!" She simply stated as she pushed her feet off the ground to unintentionally get the chair to swirl around, which caused her to gasp and declare. "This thing spins!"

"Yeah, congratulations on figuring that out," he mocked.

"I just think it's stupid that she looked at me so rudely when she's fucking one of the VP's too!" She spun around again, seemingly enjoy herself. "I wouldn't have thought any different about her, surely not less, if I found out she was having sex with Sesshomaru. I could completely understand the impulse, obviously, since he's so sexy -"

"Hey," Inuyasha grunted.

"- I couldn't help myself. I wouldn't have expected her to. But the fact that she was so _rude_ to me about us makes me think she's a bit of a bitch -"

"Can you stop spinning around like that? You're making me dizzy just watching."

"- it just doesn't make any sense! Why would someone act like that when they're dong the very same thing? Huh?"

"If I had to guess, she found out about your _quickie_ with him and was jealous." He leaned over his desk to stop her spinning himself. "Now cut that out. Why are you coming to bitch at me for that anyway? I didn't think we were friends, ergo you can't just come vent your issues at me. Take it up with the redheaded roommates of yours."

All she did was pout at him before it dawned on her that just a bit more than a week ago she had the very same thought when he called her up. He was right … they weren't friends. She shouldn't have barged in like that but … she wanted to. "I feel like the fact that you saved my life kind of earns you the title of my 'friend.' Which, mind you, you haven't explained at all like you promised you would."

He cringed at that while his gaze averted hers. "You caught that, huh?"

"I'm not a guy, screwing me doesn't make me forget about a whole conversation," she stated.

"It worked pretty damn well yesterday," he countered. "Give me until tonight and I promise -"

"You already promised me and you didn't keep it!"

"Kagome, you barge in here like you own the place and spent the last twenty minutes complaining to me -"

"It wasn't twenty," she muttered.

"- and now you are demanding I put more of my work aside to explain everything to you _now_? There's a reason I want to do it after work, it'll take a while. I saved your life, you owe me that much," he stated as his eyes locked with her hardened hazels. It took a while but she eventually sighed and gave up. He thought when she stood up she was going to finally leave him alone but instead … she walked around the desk and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Suspicion seeped into his stare, a part of him wondered if she was planning on smacking him, but instead she slid her legs below the arms of his chair to sit upon his lap. A grin crossed his lip, now _this_ was something he could enjoy.

"I was about to say that it was annoying that your clothes were still on," he said with a smile. His hands slid up her to slide off her jacket and reveal a pretty blue strapless dress. The next step was letting his hands move to her back to unzip her dress to reveal a simple black bra.

"We only have about thirty-five minutes before my lunch is over and I've got to go," she explained as her hands glided up his arms and to his face. "Which means, we've got twenty because I'll need to look presentable before I go back down stairs."

"I can work with that."

Unfortunately, they never got to experience that since a knock came on the door. Without even waiting for a reply, someone walked right in, stopping once she saw the scene in front of her.

Kagome held her breath as she pulled her dress back up to cover her bra and looked away from the ever so appealing Kikyou. Again she wore a red dress and wasn't wearing a jacket to make her form fitting dress seem a bit more appropriate for the workplace, particularly since it didn't have any straps.

"Kikyou," Inuyasha grumbled, "what do you want?"

"It looks like you're missing something," she said instead to Kagome, who had managed to zip her dress back up herself and grab her jacket. All that earned was an even more confused look from the young girl's face.

"Kikyou," Inuyasha grunted to gain her attention, "what?"

"We have lunch plans, remember?"

"We can go to a late lunch."

At first she merely shook her head then she said, "No."

"I'll leave," Kagome stated as she got off of Inuyasha's lap and slipped her jacket on properly. It was ever so intimidating for her to have to walk right by Kikyou to get to the door but she managed to. "I'll see you after work, Inuyasha."

He just nodded at that and stayed quiet until Kagome closed the door behind her, if she rushed she could still catch her friends before they left for lunch. He didn't even have to wait until he was sure she wasn't behind the door anymore.

"Kikyou," Inuyasha slowly started before sighing. "What was that about? The whole she's missing something?"

"She's missing her shikon," Kikyou answered with a small shrug as she walked up to sit on the desk in front of him. "I assumed that was why you were with her to start out with."

"Her… shikon?" Inuyasha inquired with a lifted brow. "Kikyou, what are you talking about?"

**.oooOoOooo.**

Was she meant to compete for his attention? If so, she'd fail. The other woman was far more than she was, older - which Inuyasha seemed to prefer - and there was just an air of something more about her. Almost like a beauty, one that took centuries to mature … which was also another thing she probably was that Kagome wasn't. Mature. She was only twenty, _almost_ twenty-one, but still how mature did she have to be at that age?

She had another year of college to go before she felt she had to act like an actual adult.

Was she supposed to share him? She guessed she was alright with that. They weren't dating, they were just … something. And not exclusive. She had already taken advantage of that feature, so why shouldn't he?

It annoyed her being interrupted like that. And more than anything, "It was so embarrassing…"

"Kagome," Ayame started with a reassuring pat on her back. "Maybe you should just stop whatever it is you are doing with him? Is the sex really worth all this trouble?"

Without even thinking, she nodded a 'yes.' The sex was good, great even, arguably the best she'd ever had. And it was only arguably because his brother was awfully good, too … but Inuyasha was, oddly enough, more generous about giving pleasure. Sesshomaru was more the type to just take. But if she had to go on who was more attractive, his older brother would win. He was just drop dead sexy. Inuyasha wasn't _un_attractive, he was very good looking himself, just not on the same level of his seemingly perfect brother.

That probably was one of the many things that factored into their hateful relationship. If she felt that way about her brother she wouldn't know what to do. She adored Souta, having a five year gap between them really helped, and they texted and called each other frequently. She couldn't imagine having a poor relationship with her own family. It would be horrible.

"You said her name was Kikyou, right?" Ayame questioned to snap her back to the conversation the two interns were having, the last two at Gami, Inc. The rest had retired for the night at five, since that was all that they were required of - eight to five unless work kept them there. Kagome and Ayame, though, felt like putting a few added touches to their projects so they were left behind on their nearly empty floor for an extra hour.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Hayashi Kikyou works here. She's VP of Human Resources. I could see how HR and Sales would have to work closely together."

"Hayashi … like Hayashi Kaede?" As in, their _roommate _for the summer?

"Yeah, their sisters. This company does a lot of that, family hires and all. It's like a tradition or something. Hence why your boy-toy, his brother, and daddy works here."

"Do you know what position his dad holds?"

"Right, you missed the first day of the internship," Ayame said with a bit of a frown. "He gave a speech to welcome all of us to the company. Pretty decent looking for such an old man. He's CEO, Takamuro Inutaisho."

Before she had a chance to comment on that her phone in her cubical went off so she walked over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Kagome?" she knew that voice instantly, _Inuyasha._ "Why are you still here? I tried your mobile and you didn't answer so I figured that might mean you were still in the building."

"I'm working on a project. Why, what do you want?"

"I want you up in my office now."

He _wanted_ her up in his office, she was fairly positive she knew what that meant and she surely wasn't about to submit to him. Not after that embarrassing session from earlier and not when he owed her some answers. "See you soon."

"Going up for a fuck?" Ayame inquired with a grin, only to receive a harsh stare in reply. "I'm heading back to the apartment. I'll see you when you get back - well, _if_ you do."

She just rolled her eyes at that before she grabbed her things to head up to Inuyasha' s office. She was still fuming a little from earlier, and ready to yell at him for it whether he deserved it or not. When she got to his floor Myoga just waved him into the office. As soon as she had the door knob twisted she started on her little rant.

"If you are going to make this whole having sex thing at work a habit you better…" but her words trailed off as she saw who sat behind Inuyasha's desk.

Not Inuyasha … but someone who looked like him, there was a family resemblance and since she already knew Sesshomaru that meant she had just said all that in front of the CEO of Gami, Inc. She choked on her own breath at that realization. Her shocked hazels shifted by the un-amused man to see Inuyasha leaning against his window wall, with a hand over his face and a shake of his head.

"Higurashi Kagome, I presume," the man at the desk finally stated as he motioned for her to take a seat, hesitantly she did just that.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said. "You said you wanted an explanation for everything and, well… I don't think I could give you as good of an answer as he can. So just listen to him."

"I'm Takamoru Inutaisho," the man introduced himself with a small nod of his head. "As you probably already know, I'm Inuyasha's father and CEO of Gami."

"Y-yes, I know that…" she managed to say with anything but a stable voice. How could the CEO really give her an answer to the questions she had? It all had to do with the stalker, nothing to do with the company…

"What I'm about to tell you is a highly valued secret of Gami Incorporations. We'll expect you to keep it seeing as it as directly related to you as the rest of us that work here. Even if you told people, though, I doubt anyone would think you anything less than crazy." Now that was hardly a great way to start, but it did snatch Kagome's full attention and a brow bent in confusion. "Everyone who works at the Headquarters, just like every high ranking member at our other branches, are not human."

"E… excuse?" She hadn't just heard that right.

"We are all, as a human would put it, supernatural creatures. There's a wide range of types here, anything from spirits and werewolves to demons and even some gods. I am a dog demon, hence my name. And my son is -"

"Hold on," Kagome ordered with a wave of her hands. "Are you _insane_?"

"That's an understandable assumption, considering you've grown up under false pretenses," Inutaisho said. "The only way for you to have gotten this internship is if you are not a human. At least, not a full one."

She just let out a dry laugh at that before asking, "So, what, you're saying I'm _not_ human? That my best friend for the last three years _isn't_ human? That Inuyasha _isn't_ a human?"

"I'm only half," Inuyasha added in weakly, only to earn a harsh glance from Kagome.

"Yes, my son's a half-breed. And you, Higurashi Kagome, are of nymph decent."

"A nymph? Those naked fairy things in forests?" Kagome would have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all if the two hadn't looked completely serious.

"That is one type. You are a shikon nymph, to be more accurate, to find someone with such blood … it's extremely rare. I don't believe that a full-blooded one exists anymore. It explains why supernatural creatures are so attracted to you, why both my sons found an interest in you, why your best friend for the past three years is a werewolf -"

"Hold up," Kagome ordered, "Ayame is _not_ a werewolf."

"Let's put that aside for the moment," Inutaisho ordered, "and get to the important part. A shikon nymph is rare because of one reason - they carry a shikon jewel in them. It's a powerful object that can. If in one piece, it can grant someone a wish or give them seemingly unlimited power. Since you are not a full blooded one, though, you didn't have a complete one in you. That man who stalked you, the one who stabbed one, he retrieved whatever was in you."

"He was a half-breed, too," Inuyasha said but Kagome refused to look at him. "We have a strict set of rules our chairmen have created to make sure our presence is kept a secret. I thought that by talking to him, reminding him all the rules that he was breaking by stalking you, threatening to get the board of directors involved he would have stopped. He seemed scared enough of the notion. I was wrong ... he still attacked you."

"You see," Inutaisho said. "Our organization's the only structure our supernatural society has left. It's like our government, we provide jobs and order for those who are like us. Not all have to work for us, but they must obey our rules or suffer the consequences. Just as, once we find him, the half-breed that assaulted you will have to."

"I don't believe any of this," Kagome declared as she stood up. "I'm leaving. You people are _insane_."

"I was hoping not to have to resort to this," Inutaisho muttered. He moved his right hand to his left and removed a silver ring with black markings off his finger. In an instant his appearance was so different that Kagome covered her mouth and stared at him wide eyed. His eyes changed from auburn to gold, two violet marks appeared upon his cheeks, his hair shifted from salt and pepper shades to long strands of silver, and his ears were pointed.

"We all have these," he explained as he showed her the ring. "At least, all of us that appear un-human."

She didn't have to shift her gaze to see if Inuyasha was wearing one, she knew he was. She had seen it, always on his right ring finger. That meant … all those times she was with someone who could look so different? So … not human? She shivered at the thought as she took a step back.

"We understand if you need time to process all this information," was the last thing she heard before she rushed out of the room.

"She could have taken that much worse," Inutaisho said as he slid his ring back on and leaned back in the chair. "Do you think she'll be coming in tomorrow?"

"Not a chance," Inuyasha muttered as his thumb slid his ring around his finger.

"Why did you reschedule to today?" his father asked. He glanced up to his son, who's eyes were still stuck on the open door that Kagome had ran through. "You don't actually have feelings for this girl, do you?"

"You know me better than to ask that question," answered Inuyasha. He walked around the desk to sit down in the same seat Kagome had been in, his eyes stuck on a folder on his desk.

"And yet, while she was in the hospital, you went each night to check on her."

"For _five _minutes at most," Inuyasha insisted, "people are over reacting to that. I just wanted to make sure she wasn't dead, that's all. It's not like I'm some creeper that sat and watched her as she slept or something."

Inutaisho sighed as he looked away and shook his head.

Inuyasha changed the subject. "Did we finally find out which side of her family the nymph blood comes from?"

"Mother's side," Inutaisho replied. He opened it to reveal a police report. "It appears twenty years ago Kagome's mother was assaulted just like she was. I imagine that whoever got to her took out whatever amount of the shikon she had, too … has her scent always been like that, Inuyasha?"

His gaze slowly shifted from the file to his father's curious stare. "No, it's changed since she was attacked. I don't understand why. Do you?"

"I might have an idea," he said as he closed the file. "For the time being, I want a more thorough search for the half-breed that attacked her. There's a chance that it might have been the same one that took her mother's shard. No one gets away with attack a fellow supernatural creature like that. And, Inuyasha, you're actions that night were questionable at best. You know you should not have taken your ring off to go find her. What if a human had seen you?"

"She could have died," he snapped, "and no human saw me. I'm not sorry."

"As troublesome as always," he said as he rubbed his temple. "You're lucky you're my son or else you wouldn't get away with half the bullshit you pull."

All he heard was a 'keh' before his son stormed out of the room. It reminded him just of what he would have been like as a five year old, but he supposed he'd never know for a fact. For that, he felt a pang of regret.

**.oooOoOooo.**

None of that could be true. Oh, gods, she couldn't even think about the possibility. How, _how_ could Inuyasha not be human? How could she have had sex with something _not_ human? She just shook with disgust at the thought. If Inutaisho hadn't shown himself like that she wouldn't have believed a damn word that he said but … but how else could she explain that sudden change in appearance?

Some sort of magic trick?

Somehow, the answer that demons and other supernatural creatures existed seemed more reasonable to her. She refused to believe she was one of them. That was simply _ridiculous. _There was one way of finding out whether it was honestly the truth or just some sort of sick joke and that was by talking to Ayame. Unfortunately, her ability to do that was hindered the moment she walked into her apartment to see they had a guest.

"Kagome, sweetheart!" her mother called out as she opened her arms to hug her daughter. "Ayame told me that it might take you up to an hour to get back from your meeting. I'm so glad it didn't take that long."

"Hi, mom," she wearily answered and forced a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I've decided to come cook you girls dinner. If I didn't do that every once and a while, you'd never get a home cooked meal," she answered as if it was a silly question to ask. She headed back to the kitchen area to continue and work on the pots that were on the oven.

"You're mom's awesome," Ayame said. Often, Kagome would take Ayame home with her on the weekends so that she could eat with her and her family. At first, when they were randomly assigned together freshmen year, she did it as a way to try and be nice. But then it became clear it helped her, since she missed her family back in Kyoto quite a bit.

"I'm glad to see Inuyasha didn't keep you as long as I thought he would," Ayame whispered, teasingly, to her friend only to earn a harsh stare.

"Shut up, Ayame," Kagome ordered before she walked passed her to help her mom with whatever she needed, leaving her friend baffled.

It really seemed like it took forever to make the meal and serve it to her, Kaede, and Ayame. It took even longer to get through it, what with all the stupid chitchatting from everyone. And how many questions her mother seemed to have for her new roommate, Kaede. Yet, she seemed more than happy to answer them.

As always, it was hard for someone to find a way to say no when her mother plastered on a sweet smile.

"My sister Kikyou is the VP of Human Resources," Kaede had explained to her mother. "She's pretty much the only family I got left. Our parents died when I was young and she raised me since then."

"That's awful, I'm so sorry," her mother said.

"It's alright, it could have been much worse. I don't know what I would have done without Kikyou there."

And since the topic seemed to be focused on Kikyou, Kagome's mind faded out to replay the conversation she had been stuck in from earlier. Completely ignoring the curious green gaze from her friend. If it turned out that it was all lies then she'd have to apologize to Ayame for her rude behavior but if it wasn't then … she wouldn't.

"Sweetheart, I worry about you," her mother had told her while she saw her to the door. "Can you at least come home on the weekends?"

"Yes, Mom, I will."

And, if things went much poorer, there was a good chance she'd drop out all together and give up the internship, apartment, and go home for the summer. Far, far, away from the nonsense she found herself stuck in. It took a deep breath for her to find the strength to go back into the apartment and see that Ayame was already waiting there, obviously expecting some sort of explanation for her attitude that night.

"Kagome -" She started, annoyance lacing her tone, but she didn't get the chance to finish.

"Tell me you aren't a werewolf or something, that Inuyasha an Inutaisho were lying about everything." There was probably a better way at addressing the problem than with that frank statement, but she didn't feel like beating around the bushes.

Surprise wasn't what spewed across her friend's face, blankness did before she bit her lip and looked away. She really didn't need to say anything. Kagome was more than aware what that meant. _Yes_.

"I can't believe this!" Kagome screamed before she started towards her room, only to be cut off by Ayame.

"Please, let me explain!" Ayame begged. "Why are you getting so mad at me? What are you then, huh? The only way to get an internship at Gami is to be -"

"I'm not anything. I'm _human_. Not some sort of thing," she retorted as she pushed by Ayame and slammed the door shut, locking it up.

After all, outside her door was a werewolf and the room next to her was occupied by … well, she had no idea what Kaede was.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Sleep didn't come to her easily that night, not with everything that was banging around in her head. That was why, well after midnight, she decided to call Souta up. It was doubtful he was in bed. Summer vacation usually meant he had just gotten a new video game. There was a good chance he was still up trying to beat it.

"Hey, what?" Souta asked after he answered the phone.

"So … my internship's not going so great," she said as she rolled around in her bed to stare out the window. "I'm not so sure what to do."

"Internships are supposed to suck, aren't they?"

"I guess but this is so different … and insane, really."

"But it's at Gami Incorporation, right? I'm fifteen and I know that's an impressive company. If you just stay on until the end of the summer - just a couple more months, Sis - then you'll be able to put that on your resume. You could probably get any marketing job you want, or maybe it'd even look good for medical school."

Behind all his talk, she could hear lasers being shot and explosions. Yep, he was playing his video game. But he was right about all of that. Granted, it appeared everyone at Gami, Inc., was a monster of some sort, but at least she knew if she could stick it out there she could still put it on her resume.

"I don't know, Souta."

"Hey, if you want to quit then quit. I'm going to annoy you about it forever, though," Souta said before hollering at the TV about something that happened in his game. "I wouldn't mind you quitting. At least then I would be able to say you aren't perfect."

"I'm hardly perfect," Kagome grumbled.

"You're pretty damn close. Do you know how annoying that is? I'm supposed to match your steps."

"You'll get into Tokyo U if that's what this is about," and from there their conversation slipped into pep rally of encouragement for him.

Still, his words rang true in the morning when her alarm clock went off to wake her up. She got dressed in black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a pair of flats because her feet simply could not handle a third day in heels. That, and she hardly wanted to look good for Inuyasha anymore.

She had two and a half months left until school started up again and she would be done with the internship. If she could last that long then she could put it on her resume and be a step closer to whatever goal she decided she wanted to achieve. That was why she still went into work that day, though she left earlier than normal so she could avoid Kaede and Ayame.

When Yura came up to her that day to start working on their project again, she found it hard to focus on anything other than the question _what_ was she? A demon, a werewolf, or some other creature that went bump in the night? More times than she could count, Yura caught her starting at her strangely and asked, "what?"

"Nothing," Kagome would say.

Then there was her supervisor, Kobayashi Sango, who came up to her twice that day to praise her for staying so late the night before and coming in so early that day. It was the first time she seemed to be nice to her, and usually she would wonder whether that was because of her hard work or the fact that she had caught her coming out of Sesshomaru's office. That day, all she could think about was _what_ was she?

Midway through the morning, though, was the worst part of her day.

Inuyasha showed up.

He walked right over to her cubical and leaned against her desk to get her attention, though she tried her hardest to ignore his presence as she typed away.

"Kagome," he finally said cautiously. "I'm surprised you came in today. I thought you'd need more time to process -"

"Get away from me," she ordered, but in a whisper so that those around her couldn't hear.

"I didn't tell you the truth because I knew this was how you would react. You grew up thinking you were a human - "

"Get really far away from me," she said, that time even harsher than one before. It silenced him.

When he stood up straight she assumed that meant he was finally going to listen and walk away but he didn't. He asked, "Why are you here today?"

"I'm finishing the internship, putting it on my resume, and moving on with my life," she said. It was clear, though, from her tense body that she hardly felt good so close to him or anyone that worked there for that mattered.

"Kagome…" but he didn't get to say anything else. She stood up, grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the supply closest. First checking to make sure no one was around to see her push him in and close the door behind her.

Usually, he'd be pleased by such action, but he knew that sex wasn't coming.

"Show me what you really look like," Kagome said. She finally looked at him but not in the eyes. He supposed that was progress.

"Are you sure about that, Kagome?"

"I've been having sex with someone _not_ human. I want to see what you really look like," she said as she looked away. "Gods, how could you do this to me, Inuyasha?"

He really didn't have a verbal reply to that. All he did was hesitantly reach for his ring. Slowly he slipped it off, but for a good solid minute she didn't look away from the stacks of printer paper. It took a couple deep breaths for her to work up the strength to look back at him. Her brows furrowed together instantly, her lips parted slightly, and her shoulder sagged at the sight.

He had long silver hair, similar to his father but thicker, gold eyes, and razor sharp claws. None of that earned her attention like the pair of square fuzzy ears on the top of his head. In a funny dream, she probably would have tweaked them, but she wasn't in a dream … she was seriously staring at the man she had sex with multiple times.

And he definitely wasn't human.

She chocked on whatever she was going to say before she turned her gaze away from him, by turning her back to him completely.

"I never want to see that again," she managed to say as she reached out for the door knob. "Stay away from me."

And that was the last thing she said before she was out the door.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you so much for all the reviews, again! It's so awesome. Here's another update to show my thanks :)_

_Please continue to review.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter:** Envy's Kiss_


	7. Envy's Kiss

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 7: Envy's Kiss<em>**

A nymph … to think, she might have nymph blood. Wait, no, she didn't. She couldn't … then again, if demons, werewolves, and who knows what else is real? Why else would they hire her at Gami if she didn't have something non-human in her, too? Those were the types of thoughts that floated about her head after she returned home from her internship and locked herself away in her apartment.

She should probably give up the apartment and live at home. It would be a longer commute to and from work each day but worth it not to live with two people who were strangers and at least one was a werewolf. How could she have lived with someone like that for three years and never notice?

A banging on her door caught her attention, but she knew who it was before she even heard the voice. "Kagome, please, let's talk."

"I don't want to talk," she said.

"Please! Let me explain!"

"What's there to explain, Ayame? You're a werewolf and you never told me!"

"I never told anyone!" She heard her former friend shriek. "Not even my parents! Because I know that this is how people will react!"

That got her to get off of her bed and open her door to see a frowning Ayame standing there, leaning against the wall and her eyes down casted. Ashamed. Kagome hadn't seen such a look on her face since freshmen year when she admitted she had sex with Yamimoto Suji on a drunken impulse. And that was really saying something, since he was a big, geeky, boy and far from either of their type.

"How can you not have told your parents? They aren't … like you?"

"They're humans," Ayame said while she rubbed her arm. "Two werewolves can have a child like them, but that's now how I came about. I was … a child. A little kid, I was only eight, this rouge werewolf kidnapped me. She bit me against my will, she turned me … and without the Gami branch in Kyoto I don't know what I would have done. My parents to this day just think it was a random kidnapping.

"It takes a couple of years for the effects to start to show. When I was twelve it started and I was horrified. I didn't understand what was going on. Gami helped me a lot, explained everything to me. Accepted me. I knew I couldn't tell my parents … and I didn't think I could tell you, either. I never knew you weren't a human. What are you?"

"Human," Kagome countered. Yet, after hearing all of that she couldn't help but feel sorry for Ayame. And in hindsight she supposed Ayame was right, she had freaked out on her just as she predicted. Maybe that was wrong of her. "I'm … sorry, Ayame. This is all a lot to deal with all of a sudden. But I was wrong to act so rude to you of all people."

"I understand," she assured once she finally looked up to meet her gaze, a weak smile on her lips. "But … Kagome, Gami wouldn't have hired you if you were a human. So what did they _say_ you were? Your scents always been a little different than other humans but I never thought anything of it. I figured if you were a fellow supernatural then you would have told me."

"They … They say I have nymph blood, a shikon nymph, and that's why I was attacked."

"A nymph," Ayame said with awe. "I guess that makes a lot of sense."

"Why?"

"Nymphs and fairies attract other sups, that's what we call each other. It's short for supernatural creatures. It would make a lot of sense because you are like a magnet to us, look at Inuyasha and me … nymphs can be alluring, like sirens, and that's why guys fall all over you, like Hiro and Houjo. But I've never heard of a shikon nymph. I've never met any type of nymphs, actually. They are rare in Japan, rare in general. There's not many left."

"I guess … I'm not sure I believe it. That I'm part one…"

"Which side of your family is the blood from? Supposedly," she added the last word just to be kind.

"I don't know."

"Your mom, if I had to guess," Ayame said. "Your scents are a lot alike and she just has that way about her, you know? Like it's impossible to dislike her, that's a trait of fairies and nymphs."

"What's Kaede?" Kagome questioned after she stepped closer to her friend and glanced out in the living room area to see if said roommate was around.

"I'm a demon," Kaede declared before she popped up from lying down on the couch. Its back was towards Kagome's room so she hadn't been able to see her. "It depends on the culture to the name we are given. There's Kephn and some would say Soul Reaper."

"So … so what's that mean exactly?" Kagome hesitantly questioned.

"We're demons of the soul, we … eat them, you could say." The wide eyes Kaede saw from her roommate gave her pause. "But we don't really, not often, just whenever we need to. It's not a everyday experience and we don't eat live ones. I've never have at least."

"Oh," was all Kagome could think to say to that.

"Yura, Shippou, Kohaku, me and Ayame are going to a club tonight. It's known to be a place for people like us to gather at. Maybe you'd like to join us?"

"It'll be fun, Kagome," Ayame whispered to earn her weak attention. "We won't stay late, either, since we have work tomorrow. We're just going for a couple of drinks and to cool off a bit."

Most of her really didn't want to but … she said yes anyway.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"What are you?" Kagome asked brazenly as she leaned against the bar next to a certain violet eyed man. If he worked for Gami, Inc., then he wasn't human.

Miroku smiled in return at first. "I am a descendent of Fūjin, the god of wind. My mother was a Zanki, which is an oni of lightening. So I'm a bit of a demi-god and an oni. And, before you ask, no ring." He wiggled his hands in front of her face to show that he didn't wear the rings that Takamorus did. "I look like this normally. Hence the unnatural purple eyes."

"Ah," she said with a nod of her head.

"Would you like me to buy you a drink? I would hate to drink alone." He even motioned to his mostly untouched dark liquid. Though, he had just gotten there.

"I'm off alcohol, seeing as I got attacked because I was recklessly drunk," she answered with a smile. "I could use some water, though."

"I can get you that," Miroku said as he tapped the counter to get the attention of the bartender. It was only eight and the club had people, but it wasn't crowded in the least.

"And what's the women you are staring longingly at?" Caught his attention enough to make him look back at her. Curiousness coated his face as he glanced around before his sight landed on her again.

Innocently, Miroku asked, "Excuse me?"

"Kobayashi Sango," Kagome said. She took the water placed in front of her and turned around to look out into the club. To her left her friends sat, chitchatting about this and that, but for some reason once she saw Miroku walk in she needed to go up and talk to him. It wasn't hard to tell that his attention was focused on the supervisor who sat across the club from them, talking with another woman and nursing a drink.

"She's the daughter of Bishamonten," he began, but the blank look on Kagome's face meant he had to say more. "He's the god of warfare, warriors, and punisher of evildoers. She's a demi-goddess, her mother was human. Kohaku, her brother," he nodded towards the boy who was eagerly listening to Kaede's story. "He's the same, but he has a different mom. You wouldn't be able to tell but there's a rather large age gap between the two."

"And why are you sitting here staring hopelessly at her instead of talking to her? You seem like you wouldn't have trouble with the ladies." Kagome did remember what Inuyasha had said. He held an "unrequited love thing" for her.

"I'm not staring … was I?"

"A bit," she admitted before chancing a glance behind her to see Sango was oblivious to him. "You know what's a great way to get a girl's attention? Jealousy. If you have another women, then I'm sure she'll notice you more."

He chuckled lightly. "Are you sure that's true or is it just you?"

She pouted playfully at him. "Maybe, but I have a few friends that are just like that. A guy shows interest in them, they have none in him, then he seems to move on to another girl and suddenly he's so interesting."

"I've been with other women. Sango never seems to notice," Miroku said.

"Have you flaunted them in front of her before?" When she saw him shake his head she placed a hand on his cheek furthest away from her to turn his face towards her. Before he could figure out what she was up to, she leaned in and kissed him. He reciprocated until she pulled away, a smile on her face.

"And what was that for?" He asked.

She glanced over her shoulder briefly before returning her attention to him. She ran her hand up his chest and stepped closer to him. "Kobayashi Sango is gawking over here right now."

"Really?" He eagerly questioned, but when he tried to look over Kagome tilted his face back in her direction.

"You can't look or else she'll know you're trying to get her attention."

"But I am…"

"But you don't want her to know. I can't believe I have to explain this to you."

"I'm very good with women expect … with her," he said. He sighed and glanced around, everywhere but near where Sango was. "Fuck."

"Fuck what?"

"There's someone else here that isn't going to enjoy that sight," he answered with a nod to their left. She just took a quick glance before her eyes widened. She turned around to look towards the bar instead of anywhere else.

"I didn't know he was there," she said. Inuyasha was there and he probably saw them. She had no intention of annoying him or making him jealous. Right now, and possibly never again, she didn't want his attention.

"I don't think you thought that through in the least bit," he teased with a small nudge. "Sango's your supervisor and she already dislikes you for having sex with Sesshomaru."

"If she doesn't like you then she can't hold it against me that I kissed you," she replied with a shrug. "I guess I shouldn't have done that, though."

"It was a sweet gesture," he assured her. "Unfortunately, I'm going to get punched for it."

"I doubt he'll punch you just because I kissed you."

"I did hear how you reacted when you first saw him. Hopefully whatever affections he might have had for you have faded because of it. Being a half-demon really isn't the greatest thing. Demons don't accept them much, they prefer full bloods."

"I didn't mean to be _mean_." Kagome frowned and huffed to get her bangs out of her face. "But … think of it from my point of view. The guy I'd been having sex with wasn't even human. He was lying to me that whole time -"

"Did he ever say he was?"

"Don't be a moron," she ordered as she shot him a cruel glance. "That was obviously the assumption."

"I suppose that's true. But in all fairness, it's hard for us to reveal ourselves to humans. They react poorly … Inuyasha's had plenty of that throughout his life. I doubt he was planning on opening himself up for another chance for a human to declare the horrors in him for being a half-breed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked after she pulled up a stool and sat down next him.

"Inuyasha's mother was a human," he began. Miroku chanced a glance at said half-breed, who had turned his attention back to the woman sitting next to him, Kikyou, and away from them. He figured it was safe to continue.

"She was unaware of the fact that Inutaisho was not human as well. They had an affair, he left, she had Inuyasha. Surprise, surprise, her baby boy didn't look so normal … and for years Inuyasha had to deal with that. Back then, Gami wasn't so connected, they didn't find all the spare sups out there. It wasn't until his father showed up when he was twenty that he realized what he really was. He grew up a freak."

"That's … depressing," she whispered. "Wouldn't a story like that be published wider? I mean, a child being born with his features and all … why would it take Gami so long to locate him?"

"Well, it did happen two hundred and fifty years ago -"

"_What_?" She gasped. "What? What? What? Two hundred and fifty! That' outrageous! He's ancient!"

"Not ancient," Miroku corrected. "That's not too terribly old for a half-breed."

"Gods! That's like a two hundred and thirty year age difference." She gagged at the thought before standing up once more and attempting to get the bar tenders attention. "I need a drink now."

"Kagome," Miroku dragged out until she turned to look at him again. "He was highly disturbed by that as well. But I imagine it was the nymph blood that drew him to you to start out with. I've never known him to get with a mortal … and now it turns out you aren't just a human."

"So that's the explanation for everything? I have nymph's blood therefore he was interested. That's that?"

"You sound insulted. Why? I thought you two were merely 'toyfriends.' Does his reason behind why he wanted to have that relationship with you really matter?"

"No," she grumbled. She supposed he had a point so she pouted as she sat back down again. "Jeez … that's … so huge."

"You think that's bad, wait until I tell you how old Sesshomaru is." He grinned at the look that caused.

"Don't. I'm sure I _don't_ want to know," she said. She rested her hand in her face briefly before sighing. "How … old are you?"

"I'm not sure if I want to tell you. What with the way you react to such news … but, since I'm such a nice guy, I'll tell you anyway. A hundred and twenty-two."

"In comparison to everything, that's not as bad but…" She shook her head slightly. "This is all insane. How am I supposed to grasp all of this stuff? First Inuyasha's not human … then he's so old, then my best friend is a werewolf, and all this stuff. And I might not even be all human?"

"There's no might, it's a fact. You have nymph blood, Kagome. From your mother's side of the family. But I can appreciate the position this has put you in. You look like you are doing better," he nodded towards the table of fellow interns she had been with.

"It's just, all my life I've grown up listening to the stories my grandpa told me about demons and evil spirits and all that stuff," she explained with a frown. She began to run her finger up and down her sweating glass of a water. "It's hard to stop thinking like that … but I know Ayame. I know she's not some monster. And the rest of them seem fine."

"And Inuyasha?"

"None of them had sex with me without telling me what they really were," she countered quickly.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"Are you with Akimoto Miroku?" Kohaku, the usually quiet boy, questioned as he scooted his chair from his cubical over to Kagome's. It easily gained her attention over the report she was editing for Yura. Her brow bent at it. "You spent most of last night with him at the club. You didn't come back to the table until we were getting ready to leave, and you even kissed him. So … are you with him?"

"No," she assured him with a small shake of her head. "Why…?"

"Just wondering," he answered. He moved back to his own space. For a while, that through her off before she shook her head and returned to the report, marking it up wherever she saw a problem. When she was done she handed it over to Yura, who just frowned before attempting to type it up once more.

"I'm going to get some tea, anyone what some?" she asked after she stood up with her mug. No one took her up on the offer. It wasn't until after she got out of the mini-kitchen with a hot mug of tea that she saw someone she recognized … well, two someones.

Inuyasha and Kikyou. Just like the night before, they were together, standing ever-so close, face to face, his back to the elevator. They seemed _so close_ … and the way he was leaning forward made her certain that a kiss was about to happen. It would have been a lie to say a fester of jealousy didn't flare up. But what she thought was about to occur didn't. Kikyou turned her face away and a smile lit it up at the sight of a man walking off the elevator.

Kikyou walked over to the man and interlaced her fingers with his. They walked away. Her hazels only followed them shortly before they turned back to Inuyasha. It surprised her the look on his face … he was crushed. As if someone had just smacked him in the face.

Whatever ill placed envy she felt shifted to pity as she watched him shake his head and press the button to go back up to his office. That was when she decided how she'd spend the end of her day.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was Thursday night, if she was still at Tokyo U she would be preparing for the Future Business Leaders of Tokyo's weekly party but since she wasn't she was still at Gami, Inc., working on her project. She only had another week before it was due to Sango. She was hoping to be able to turn it in early to try and earn extra points with the supervisor that already seemed to dislike her. When a yawn left her lips, she supposed it was a sign that six thirty was late enough.

It was time to go back to her apartment complex, but when she looked up and around her cubical she didn't see anyone. There went the option of walking home with someone. Oh well, she did have something she had been meaning to do that day. Reluctantly, she got up and grabbed her purse before she walked over to the elevator to press up. There was a chance he wasn't there … then she'd just go home for the day.

The fact that Myoga was still at his desk seemed to kill that idea.

"Miss Higurashi?" He asked, a hint of surprise in his old voice, while he looked up to her. "I don't believe Mr. Takamoru is expecting you."

"I don't think so, either. Does he have a minute?"

Cautiously, he looked from her to the phone, then picked it up. It took a minute before he said, "Mr. Takamoru? Miss Higurashi is here, do you have a minute?"

Inside his office, Inuyasha lifted a brow as he looked to his door. It wasn't as if he could see thru it magically, but it was still strange … he hadn't expected her. His day was already shitty enough, though, the very last thing he wanted was to deal with another one of her fits.

Finally, Inuyasha asked, "What does she want?"

Myoga nodded as he looked up to her. "May I ask what it pertains to?"

"I want to apologize." _Somewhat_, she thought.

"An apology," Myoga conveyed, not that Inuyasha really needed him to. When his office was so quiet he could easily hear out in the lobby.

She wanted to apologize…?

"I have time," he said. The question was what she wanted to apologize for. Kissing his best friend or freaking out at the sight of him without his ring? He fixed his tie and ran his hand through his hair quickly before leaning back in his chair nonchalantly. His door clicked as Myoga let Kagome in. He bowed his head before he closed the door behind him.

"Kagome," he greeted. He motioned for her to take the seat. She shook her head instead, she didn't plan on staying that long.

"I'm sorry," she said. Her eyes diverted his and her hand slid her hair behind her ear. "I reacted poorly but … you should apologize, too. You lied."

"I didn't," he retorted. "I never told you I was human."

"Inuyasha," she said as her eyes met with his. "What did you think I would think?"

Begrudgingly, he stood up and buttoned up his suit jacket. "I guess that's true."

"And I told you that a ten year age gap was the most I was comfortable with. It turns out that it is _two hundred and thirty_! Inuyasha, that's ridiculously huge."

"You think I was happy with that?" he rejoined. "Who told you anyway? Miroku? I saw how close you two were last night -"

"I didn't know you were there. If I did I wouldn't have done that," she assured him, slowly, so that it would hopefully sink through his thick skull. "I didn't do it out of affection. I was trying to help him make Sango notice him. That's all."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," he grumbled bitterly.

"You really don't have the right to be jealous." After all, she noticed that his interest seemed to rest purely on Kikyou all night.

"I'm not jealous," he asserted as he folded his arms. "Just annoyed. He's _my_ friend."

"I _am_ sorry," she repeated.

"If that's all you have to say, you can leave," he requested with a wave of his hand towards the door.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes before she turned around and began to walk towards the door. But then a flash of the crushed face he wore earlier that day made her stop. She frowned before she took a breath in and turned around to walk up to his desk again.

"I saw you with Kikyou earlier today," she started which instantly earned a harsh glare. "It seems like you really care about her…"

"You really don't have a right to be jealous," he countered, essentially using her own words against her.

"That's not what I meant. I saw the way you looked when she left with that other guy…"

He pressed his lips together before grumbling, "What do you want to say to that? That I'm not annoyed to hear the only women I've ever loved is getting married to another man?"

She was silent for a while. "That's not what I was getting at either … but I'm sorry about that, too."

"Sorry about what?" he gripped.

"That that hurts you, that that is happening," and it was true, oddly enough. Regardless of what he was, regardless of all the secrets, of all the madness in her life, she still didn't want to see him in such pain. More than anything, she was sorry to see him hurt so deeply over another. The sting he felt in retaliation to the way she reacted to him probably paled in comparison.

He seemed to relax a bit after hearing that, but it didn't keep him bending a brow in confusion. Just the other day, she had expressed disgust when she saw what he _really_ looked like but now she was sorry that someone had caused him pain? It didn't make sense. She didn't. Nothing about her did.

And her scent … lately, it had made the least amount of sense. He realized after the stalker showed interest in her, a fellow half-breed, that there had to be something about her that attracted his kind. After all, she had sex with Sesshomaru and he never did it with humans. It wasn't strange that Miroku had hit on her. He would hit on any pretty women, but still after the stalker he went to other at Gami.

It was then that they discovered what she was, that her enchanting scent was explained to him. She was of nymph blood, it made sense to him then why he was with someone so young, someone he usually would never deal with. Finally he sighed as he stood up and turned to look out his window. He could hear her shift on the desk behind him but not get up.

"Why do you care?" he finally asked. "Why come all the way up here this late to tell me?"

Because she really wanted to, since the moment she saw that crushed look on his face, but she didn't know how to tell him. She didn't understand how to express the way she had felt in that moment in words. Other than, "I wanted to try and make that … pain go away."

It sounded stupid, even to her, but it was true. That was the closest way she could explain it. It almost hurt her to see him in such pain. Why? Why did it matter so much to her…? It was impossible to not care about someone that she continued to have sex with. But they weren't anymore, and she didn't foresee it ever happening again.

She didn't want to care about him more than that of a friend. Kagome had never been in love. The thought of falling for someone was scary … avoiding love meant she never had to experience the pain of heart break. She shook her head slightly to free herself of the thought. It wasn't the right time.

He turned around to look at her, still confused.

"So … you get upset - or something - by seeing someone hurt me yet…?"

"It hurt you, the way I reacted the other day?" she guessed, a strange tinge of surprise to her tone. "I just … I didn't think that you were so … sensitive about that. I didn't think you'd care so much about the way I was towards you."

He cared about Kikyou, it was obvious things she did could hurt him. But her? Did he care about her?

"Forget it," he said, seeing the error in even speaking like that. Of course he didn't care about her. His head wasn't in the right place that night. When he looked over her, at first he was disappointed in her outfit of choice. Brown pants, a green dress shirt, and a necklace with matching colors. She wore flats, too, which he didn't find any interest in - not like heels. It wasn't that sexual or appealing, but then again … if she dressed like that when they weren't together then it meant she only dressed up for his sake. That earned a grin.

"What…?" she questioned with a raised brow before he took a step to close the space between them. He grabbed her neck and pressed her lips to his. At first she was stiff in response until she parted her lips for his talented tongue to enter. He spread her legs so he could move against the desk and yank her against him. All the while, his tongue familiarized himself with the cravens of her mouth. It slowly sparked a something within her while she deepened the kiss, allowing her arms to wrap around her neck and wrap her legs around his body. He wanted to smile at the way she clung to him, but he restrained himself as he ran his hand up her back.

From such a simple encounter, he felt oddly warm. But he brushed that off as nothing more than her scent, it had that affect on him. He was addicted to it. When his hand moved from her back to the front to start to tug on the bottom of her shirt she knew what he planned to do - take it off.

Instead of lifting her arms to let him she pushed him away and slid off the desk to take a deep breath and whip her lips. She turned her back to him as she walked around the desk and grabbed her purse.

"I can't," she said before she rushed out.

He refused to allow that to be it. He waved Myoga off when he asked what was wrong before he reached Kagome midway to the elevator. He grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall, pinning her there with his body so that she couldn't scrum free.

"You're scent has changed lately," he started in a harsh tone. "It smells like you've had a part demon dad."

"My dad was no such thing!" She snapped back, trying to push him away but couldn't.

"Not the one on your birth certificate," he asserted, which only got her hotter with fury.

"How dare you accuse my mother of cheating on my father!"

"My point was to show you that you are _no _better than me, Kagome," he countered. "You have demon blood in you too."

Though anger was what etched itself into each and every aspect of her soul, she softened a fragment at that declaration. At what it meant … he thought that was what _she_ thought. It was deeply insulting to him if not … hurting his feelings some. Somehow, that was enough to cause her pause, to calm her enough to talk. "I promise that's not what I think."

Not anymore. Not since she realized the err in her way.

"I just … everything right now is confusing. I can't deal with you, me … us and all the rest of what's going on. And now you … you t-tell me that I am more than just not human? That I'm nymph and … and?" But she couldn't say it. She simply _could not_ believe that. It scared her. Nymph blood was one thing, but demon?

He seemed to calm down enough to relax away from her, letting her unwind against the wall. For a long while they just stood there until the sound of a door opening caught his attention. His stare shifted down the hall to see Kikyou exit her office. Followed by a brown haired man, and grey-brown eyed man, a smile laced up his lips just as there was one on hers.

"Suikotsu, I would love that," she said. She paused to hold out her hand for him to take before they continued towards the elevator.

Kagome, too, noticed where his attention had gone. She pressed her lips together as her hazels shifted back to him. The blankest of looks upon his face. It was his eyes that spoke, an anger ignited in them at that sight, and a hint of hurt.

"I'm hurting you," she said, almost so silently that perhaps he couldn't hear. But he did, his hearing was better than anything she could imagine. Whatever feelings he had been experiencing were overshadowed by bewilderment as he turned his eyes towards her.

"I'm sorry," she murmured again as her eyes fell to the ground. "I didn't mean to insult you by pushing away."

He already had enough to deal with. And that was her very point.

"But I did, and I am, and I'll probably continue to with all that's going on. I need time to process, time to figure out everything."

He was quiet for a long while before he placed a finger under her chin to tilt her head up. His eyes searched hers then he asked, "Have you been here since eight? You're working long hours, huh?"

She just nodded, feeling his touch under her chin still.

"That's impressive. I think you deserve a reward for that."

"Oh?"

He removed his hand from her face and nodded for her to follow. Cautiously, she did and road the elevator all the way down to the bottom floor. When she realized they were heading to the garage she wanted to stopped.

"Inuyasha … what are we doing?"

"It's dark outside," he said as he pointed towards the sky. "You can't walk home alone, not until we find the bastard that assaulted you. I'll drive you."

"Oh, alright then." She let him continue to lead her to his reserved parking space.

"So my reward is you driving me home?" she said with a smile.

"My car's amazing." He put the keys in the ignition. "It's a gift that I'm letting you ride in it."

"A gift, huh?" She couldn't help but laugh a little at that as he pulled out of the parking space.

"Haha," he mocked back as he leaned back in his seat. It didn't take that long to get down the three blocks and pull in front of the apartment complex. "There you go."

"Thank you," she said as she looked from the complex to him. "I appreciate it."

"Not a problem," he muttered back before a mischievous grin coated his lips. "You know … you could show me your appreciate by -"

"Eh," she stopped him as she lifted a hand to cover his mouth. "I'm not in the mood. I need to think things over, alright?"

"Alright," he said behind her hand.

So he let her go, without another word.

It wasn't a complete shock that once she got in there were four people that she knew form Tokyo U there, laughing, playing a card game, and drinking. Ayame must have invited them, but Kaede seemed to fit in just didn't feel like she was in a very social mood but when Hiro summoned her over to him, she had to at least pretend. She quickly changed into a pair of jean shorts and a tank before she sat down on the couch next to him and got dealt a hand.

It was a drinking game, but she was still off alcohol and no one blamed her. Instead, she just had a glass of water. Progressively, most of those there got drunk bit by bit. Just like Hiro, and when he got drunk he got touchy. Kagome wasn't all together turned off by the idea of being with him, just for that night she really wasn't in the mood.

"I've had a crush on you since high school," he said to her when they had a moment alone. Which caught her off guard, she knew that, just as he knew she had one on him back then too, but they never said it aloud.

Her hazels shifted towards Ayame who was on the other side of the room. She just smiled. It was only then that it clicked, she had been wondering why Hiro had been invited. The other friends they had weren't really associated with him, just like Ayame didn't know him well.

But she had invited him for her sake, thinking she was doing her friend a favor.

Under other circumstances, she'd be thankful but not then. She smiled all the same and said, "I had a crush on you in high school as well."

"You misunderstand," he said as he moved closer to her on the couch and cupped her cheek. "I didn't say I _had_ a crush, I said I _have_ had a crush on you since then."

Meaning it still existed, she didn't misunderstand, she just pretended she didn't. They hadn't really seen each other since high school. They had only ran into each other a couple weeks ago, so she wasn't sure if those old feelings were really there. Besides, she had Inuyasha when he first came around.

But now she didn't … though that was her choice.

Her thoughts were elsewhere when Hiro leaned in to kiss him. She would have avoided it if she had seen it coming but she didn't. And she let the kiss progress, just briefly before she pushed him away and gave an excuse for wanting to go to sleep. She did have to work early the next day…

It was the nymph blood in her that drew so many towards her anyway. It wasn't that Hiro held feelings for her, she knew it. It was that he wanted to have _sex_ with her. What she didn't know, was the alluring nature of a nymph could sometimes drive sane boys … a bit _insane_.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Kaede and Ayame had already gone into the building, but someone had caught her attention. Hiro, why was he there? He had called out her name in hopes to get her to stop for him. When she saw the flowers she withheld the urge to frown. She didn't have time for this - she'd be late. Not once, even with all the ridiculousness that had fallen on her, had she been late to her internship.

"Thank you," she said once he finally gave them to her. "That's kind of you, Hiro."

"So what do you say me and you get dinner tonight?" he questioned as he placed a hand on her arm to pull her closer to him.

"Sorry, Hiro, but I'm really busy with my internship so I can't guarantee anything," she said as she tried to pull away but he only yanked her closer.

"Come on," he kept up.

"Hiro," she drew out with an edge of annoyance as she tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her. "I need to go to work or else I'll get in trouble."

"You could always just not go and we could do something else -"

"No, Hiro." She tried once more to yank her arm free, which didn't work. "Hiro, let go."

"Come on, Kagome, let's -"

"She said let go," a man stated firmly enough that it got him to look over to see Inuyasha, a hard glare looked on him.

"This isn't any of your business," Hiro asserted back.

Inuyasha just shook his head before he grabbed Hiro and yanked him away before pushing him down the sidewalk. "Get lost, kid. This is a business, not a place to deal with stupid college romance. Now go."

Kagome didn't look to Hiro as she rushed into the building so that he couldn't follow her in. Inuyasha followed, before she got the chance to thank him, all he said to her was, "You should keep messes like that at home and away from the work place."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Again, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews. I appreciate it. I am sorry for the late review but I had a busy week/week-end. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and will continue to review._

_Thanks._

_**Next Chapter:** Undeniable Need_


	8. Undeniable Need

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 8: Undeniable Need<em>**

It had been annoying her all day, the way Inuyasha had brushed off the incident that morning. The crazy way Hiro had been acting. His words still rang out in her head - and that was the worst part about it.

_"You should keep messes like that at home and away from the work place."_

The night before she had turned Inuyasha away to go up to her apartment alone. Did he think that just because Hiro showed up that morning with flowers and a need to take her out to eat - a creepily demanding need - that she had turned him away for a human? She didn't, she wouldn't, if she had the urge to have sex it would be with someone like Inuyasha. Someone very skilled … but she didn't. Her mind was still trying to grasp everything.

So many people close to her weren't human - _including_ herself. At least, not fully, but could she really be part demon on top of part nymph? Nymph blood she could deal with. She had been doing research on the internet about them and if the myths were true she could deal with that. They seemed innocent. Demon blood? She knew she told Inuyasha she did not think less of him because of the fact that he wasn't human but … but she didn't want to be part demon. Not in the least.

And if her dad, the one that died when she was five, wasn't part demon but that she was then … then did her mother really cheat on her father with someone else? She didn't know what to do. How would she address that? _'Hey, mom, just calling to check to see if you could tell me who you cheated on our dearest, dead, dad with? You know, the one that left us all that money, the one that took really great care of us? The one who's father is living with you and helped raise me and Souta?_' Yeah, she didn't think that conversation would go so well.

That was why she couldn't deal with Inuyasha and her.

Those thoughts constantly got to her throughout the day. That was why she didn't feel like putting in any extra hours after five o'clock that Friday night. Most of the interns were running out of the place to go get ready to party that weekend. Ayame and Kaede stopped by her cubical to ask if she wanted to go to a club with them that night.

"Sure," she saod before she grabbed her bag and started out with them. It was the first time she was actually going to be out of Gami, Inc., by five fifteen. That was remarkable to her. She was giddy and a little tired since she had to wake up so early and went to bed so late. She'd probably try to get a nap in before getting ready to go to a club.

When they got to the lobby, Kaede and Ayame were debating over where to go, while her attention shifted to a scene too far to hear what was going on. Sango was standing in front of Miroku - even though his back was to her, she knew it was him - and talking with a toddler in her arms. A little girl with pretty brown pigtails and big violet eyes.

She couldn't hear them, but she could tell by the body language that they weren't happy with each other, that the conversation was tense. Then Sango handed the girl over to Miroku and a large duffle bag. She leaned forward and kissed the girl on the head before she walked away. Kagome's eyes followed her out the door where the oldest Takamoru brother was waiting to open the door to a car for her. Then he walked around and got into the driver's side and the car drove off.

"Kagome," Ayame shouted from the front door. "Come on!"

"I left something," she said. "I'll see you back at the apartment soon."

"Alright," her friend said with a sigh before the two walked out.

Kagome cautiously walked up to Miroku, who was smiling at the girl in his arms, when he noticed her turned his attention to her. "Hello, how are you today? I'm surprised you're still her. Usually the interns - well, everyone - is out of her by five o'clock sharp on a Friday."

"I was on my way out," she said. She waved to the little girl who laughed and waved back. "I saw you and this adorable little girl and wanted to come up and say hi."

"Hi!" The little one said.

"This is Mio," Miroku said. "My daughter."

Shock was spread across her face at that declaration. For some reason, that didn't even cross her mind - he had … a daughter? A _child_? And if Sango was the one that handed her to him did that mean that _they_ had a child together?

"Daddy," Mio whined as she grabbed his hair to gain his attention once more. "We go?"

"Mio … I've got to finish some paper work," he said regretfully.

"Mio play in office?" she questioned with a frown. "Daddy, Mio don't like to play alone."

"I know Mio doesn't, but I'll be quick, I promise."

"I could play with Mio," Kagome offered to earn the little girl's awe-struck attention, a big smile. "If your daddy doesn't mind, that is."

"No, I'm sure you have better things to do this fine Friday night," Miroku countered kindly. "I couldn't ask you do that."

"I love children," she said. "I really wouldn't mind at all."

"Please, daddy! Please!" Mio begged as she hugged his neck. "Please!"

"Alright, if Kagome wants to play with Mio then she can." He caved, easily. It wasn't unlike him to do that. He always gave into his daughter's need. Well, wants, really. She didn't need most of things she received, she just wanted them, and he gave it to her. He was a push over. He told Kagome all of that as he led her up to his office, which she noted was on the same floor as Inuyasha's.

"That's sweet," Kagome said with a laugh. "I could see how you could be an easy daddy."

"Yes, it's not a great thing," he said as he opened the door to his office and set Mio down, along with the duffle bag. She rushed to the other side of the room to grab a doll that was on the couch. He whispered, "Her mother gets mad at me. She says that I force her to be the bad guy … I guess in a way I do. It's just hard when she starts to pout to tell her no."

"Her mother … is Sango, isn't it?"

Miroku nodded. "We were together five years ago. It was essentially just like you and Inuyasha were - not really a relationship, just something to help us pass the time. It was an accident, but she got pregnant and now we share custody of Mio. I get her one week a month, and every other weekend, Sango has her the rest of the time."

"So … most of it?"

"Gami is the one that deals with such matters, custodial rights, marriages, things of that nature. We have our own way of dealing with things than that of humans. Most of the time, the system favors the mother. For obvious reason, of course. Sango's a great mother. Mio's a very lucky girl."

"If you two have Mio," and if he had such an obvious thing for Sango still, then… "why aren't you two together?"

"It's my fault," he said with a faint smile. "Not hers."

Kagome just nodded to that and they let the conversation die, since Mio returned to them to open up the duffle bag and pull out another toy to hand to Kagome. Apparently she wanted to play dolls, and she was more than willing to do just that with her. First, though, she decided that taking her out into the commons area on that floor was a better idea. It was more like a waiting area. She supposed most of the time people were sent up to see the VPs and other high ups on that floor. That way Miroku could get his work down in peace.

Two hours flew by quickly. Miroku came out every ten to fifteen minutes to check on them before he returned to his work always saying 'just a little longer.' The last time he did that she saw a deep frown form on Mio's face.

"Daddy loves work," she muttered to Kagome.

"Daddy loves Mio," Kagome countered.

"Mio loves daddy," Mio promised before she returned to the game. Which apparently consisted of her running around to let her doll fly around like a super hero. Kagome ran out to try and catch the girl. She did, but that probably was only because Mio stopped at the sight of the Takamoru brothers. She turned around to look up to Kagome when she reached her, she wrapped her arms around her legs then to hug her new friend closer.

"Kagome," Inuyasha greeted with a lifted brow. His eyes shifted between the four year old and Kagome a couple of times. "Hello, Mio."

"Inuyasha," Mio answered.

"Hi," Kagome managed to say. The situation was awkward, to say the least, to be around both the boys who she had … been intimate with. But that was curious, to her, since she had seen Sesshomaru drive away with Sango a couple of hours before. "Let's go back to your daddy," Kagome requested. She reached her hand down for Mio to take, she eagerly followed her back.

"Is she with Miroku now?" Sesshomaru asked as his eyes followed her briefly before turning to Inuyasha.

"Of course not," Inuyasha snapped as his hard gaze shifted to his brother. "Don't be stupid."

"What? I hear they were intimate the other night, and now she's tending to his child? That sounds very 'together' to me."

"She just likes kids, probably … and that kiss was nothing. She had sex with you after all and that meant _nothing_."

"Oh, yes, I did fuck her, didn't I?" he questioned with a grin. It only widened at the way that declaration annoyed his brother. "I don't know … I still find it strange. She's spending time with Mio. More than I ever have and I _am_ having sex with her mother. Often."

"Stop bragging like that," Inuyasha ordered.

"I'm merely stating a fact."

"Stop stating it, then, his kid could hear," he retorted, with that he shoved a file in his brother's chest and walked away. He hated having to work in close contact with him. He glanced into the waiting area to see that Kagome and Mio were there, playing together, a glowing expression on Kagome's face. For a moment he just stood there to watch her as she moved to dolls around with Mio, who was giggling. Then he completed his journey to Miroku's office.

"I'm almost done," Miroku assured. He didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"You could do it later, Miroku, I know this weekend you have Mio," Inuyasha said as he sat down on the couch to look over at his friend. "Though … it looks like she's enjoying herself with Kagome."

He looked up from his computer. "You know that there's nothing between her and I, don't you?"

"I know." The thought never crossed his mind that Miroku would betray him like that.

"Though, I must admit, I'm a bit in love with her," Miroku joked as he saved the file he was working on and began to shut his computer off. "She's very kind to have offered to help me with Mio like this. She is a sympathetic ear, easy to talk to … I like her a great deal, Inuyasha."

Not like-like, he knew that wasn't what Miroku was getting at. It was a nudge, a _you_ should like-like her.

"You would be lucky to be with someone like that," he added, just in case the implication wasn't clear enough.

Inuyasha had nothing to say to that. He just watched as Miroku gathered the duffle bag and walked out of his office to pick up Mio - who was so happy to finally be going home with her dad. He thanked Kagome profusely for taking such good care of his daughter. Then he had to do more of his meddling.

"Kagome, it's so dark. It would be awful for you to walk home alone," Miroku said as he turned his violet eyes to his friend who was lingering outside his door. "Inuyasha would love to walk you."

"Sure I would," Inuyasha muttered.

"No, that's alright." Kagome waved of her hand as she picked up her purse. "I can get home fine by myself."

"You aren't going alone," Inuyasha said. "Not until that guy is found."

And, really, she didn't want to go alone. She just didn't want to force him to take her again. Still, they all got on the elevator together and all left out the front door. Which Kagome found odd, there was a different door to get straight to the parking garage.

"Have a very good weekend," Miroku said as he waved to them.

"Bye!" Mio proclaimed.

"Bye, bye, Mio. Have a good weekend, Miroku," Kagome replied with a wave as they began to walk off in the opposite direction of the way she had to go.

"My car's in the shop. It needed an oil change," Inuyasha explained once Kagome's curious gaze returned to him, she nodded at that. He took such good care of his car, she wasn't surprised to hear that. She was a bit astonished he only had one, though. She had thought he was the type that would have as many as he could. Weren't cars like toys to men, after all?

"The complex's just three blocks away, it's not far."

"No, it's not," she agreed. She began to walk by his side. For a while they were quiet, but she couldn't take that. She had two pressing matters - well, three, but she was only going to work two in. She didn't want to talk about the whole 'demon' blood anymore.

"Hiro, the boy from this morning." She didn't look at him just as he didn't her. "He's nobody. I knew him in high school and we ran into each other a while ago. We didn't do anything. We won't ever do anything. I don't know why he was acting so weirdly this morning. It's not like him to be that demanding, that clingy."

"College boys are just boys," Inuyasha said.

"Yeah, maybe."

"I didn't think you were with him," he said. "I'm too good in bed. A college boy wouldn't cut it for you anymore."

She smiled at that. It was stupid and cocky of him - he was _so_ arrogant - but she was happy that he knew. "Inuyasha…" she slowly started. He finally turned his auburn stare to her. "That stalker … the one that hurt me, the one who stole the shikon," she felt weird saying that still, "he … he is going to get caught, right?"

"Of course. I'll see to it myself."

Again, she smiled. "You're cute when you get all protective," she taunted lightly only to earn a dull glare from him.

"Who says that's what it is? I'm just really annoyed." Hos gaze shifted to a ramen shop, the way he looked at it meant one thing.

"You are hungry, huh? Because I am."

"Then come on." He quickly walked over to it and opened the door to the small place. They found two stools next to each other at the counter and each ordered their favorite type. Hers the black one. His the classic type.

"So," if not out of some protective impulse, "why are you so annoyed?"

"The one who attacked you was a half-breed, like me. He … he gives us a bad name by acting like that, like a fucking mad man." He gripped his hand tightly in his lap. "I hate it. It's hard enough getting taken seriously, when other half-breeds go and act like that it … it just makes things more difficult. People think that's how it is with us."

A frown surfaced as she rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward to see his hard gaze fixated forward. "I've been talking to plenty of people at Gami, and a lot of half one thing, half another, plenty with human blood, too." Including her… "So why is it so bad that you are?"

"Each sup has a different way they react. Most are fine with mixing blood but demons … to us, purity is powerful, important. Really _important_. To mix with other sups is frowned upon. Not too gravely nowadays, but with … with a human. There's no advantage to human blood."

"Is that how you feel, too?"

"Yes. I see no advantage to it. I wish I was a full blood."

Slowly, she slid her hand along the counter and then let her hand slip down to rest on his clenched fists. That got him to tense up briefly before his gaze shifted to Kagome. It wasn't nearly as hard as it was before. It moved down to her hand that was on top of his. Slowly, he opened his hand so she could press her palm to his and interlace her fingers with his.

For a moment they just stayed like that, their hands interlocked, his thumb rubbing against her soft skin.

Then they pulled away from each other at the same time, when their bowls were placed in front of them. No more words were spared between the two while they ate. It wasn't until they were both done that Kagome realized something - it was the first time they ate together. They had gone to parties, drank, and danced but never gone on anything that could really be mistaken as a date.

He pulled out his wallet to pay but she put the money down first, earning a surprised stare for him.

"What? You're so sexist, just because you are the man you _have_ to pay?" she questioned as she slid her purse over her shoulder and stood up.

"You're a college student, an intern," he reminded her, which translated into the fact that she was _broke_. She knew that, but the internship was helping, and by the end of the summer she'd probably have a good amount of money in savings. If she wanted to go to medical school she might be able to pay for the first semester on her own with that. All the same, she still had enough that she could pay for the ramen, it wasn't like it was expensive anyway.

"You drive me a lot and that means you have to pay for gas," she said once hey were out of the shop and walking the last block back to the apartment complex.

"I guess, but I have a lot of money. A lot."

"Good for you," she said, in a mocking tone.

"I could have wrote it off as a business expense," he kept up. She looked from the crowded sidewalk to him then.

"Wouldn't that be cheating?"

If it was, he did it all the time.

"Well, thanks," she said as soon as they reached the complex. She had her phone off still but she was sure when she turned it on she'd have missed calls and messages from Ayame and Kaede. She had texted both that she was going to babysit for a friend for a while, though, so they wouldn't worry.

He grabbed her cheek and pulled her towards him. He paused when her body was against his, their eyes locked, and he gave her an out. She could have pushed away in that moment, but instead she let him close the gap between their lips. At first it was just their lips pressed against each other, which was odd for both of them. They never had such a simple kiss, usually within moments their tongues were ravishing each other, their hands roaming across each other's body. But not this time.

Then he pried her lips apart, which she granted him easily. But there was no tongue, just meshing of lips, light sucking, and perfect rhythm until someone bumped into Inuyasha's back. The streets were too busy for that. It was bad enough to on a normal day, but it was a Friday night and people were out and about.

"Let's go up to your apartment," he said when he broke away from her.

She shook her head lightly. "Don't you remember what I said? I still need time, Inuyasha."

"I don't care. I _need_ you tonight," he said it so firmly as his eyes locked with hers.

And it was only because of the way he worded it that she gave in … that she nodded and let him walk in to the complex after him and then up the elevator to her floor. Once they were in the hallway he grabbed her hips and started to trail his lips up her neck as she fumbled to get her key into the door. Once she was finally able to unlock it and get inside, he turned her around to start to mingle lips.

That meant she had to find her way to her bed backwards. She didn't even notice her roommates on the couch, staring dumfounded at them as they entered her bedroom. She kicked the door shut before he lowered her onto the bed and began to pull at her shirt. They broke so he could tug it off. She began to work on his belt, then the button, and finally the zipper of his pants so that they could fall to the ground. He threw his jacket to the side, she began to unbutton his white shirt to part it to show his fine body. Her bra was cast aside.

For a while they just lingered there, admiring each other's body, before he began to move down her to kiss his body. Until he got to her skirt. It was a loose fitting one so it was pushed up easily. Her baby blue panties that caught his attention briefly - there were teddy bears on it. He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing.

"What…?"

"Teddy … bears, Kagome?"

Her eyes went wide. It was only then that Kagome remembered those were the pair she was wearing that day. She had no plans of getting intimate with anyone so she picked a comfy, cotton, pair. Her cheeks reddened as she looked away.

"It's cute," he assured her as he began to remove them. Though … it was annoying at the same time. It reminded him of the age gap between them.

The massive one it was.

She, too, let her mind wander to that fact.

Both felt sickened a bit.

After a while, he pushed the thought from his mind. He got back to the act. She let out of the gush of air she had been holding as he began to ravish her with his talented tongue. One of his hands kept her legs opened as the other trailed its way up her inner thighs until he could play with her hidden jewel with his thumb.

She let out long, deep, moan at the combined feeling his actions brought her. She bit her bottom lip as she leaned her head back, smiling all the while. She had missed his touch … she wanted to get a release. To feel the greatness that came from that, the pulsing, building, pressure from within her was still there when he pulled away. Then he pulled her skirt off all the way.

His own desires had hardened him enough that he was more than ready, and she was more than ready for him. He plunged in, grasping her hips as he pounded in over and over again. The faster he moved, the closer she got, the more he moved, the better he felt.

Just a bit more, she thought to herself. Then she'd _finally_ feel that release.

Then it hit her, as if an explosion went off within her. The quiver within her that was the prequel to her release gave him added pleasure. But no release of his own. He enjoyed the scream, the one that left her lips, the one that called out _his _name.

He leaned down to press his lips to hers again. She returned the gesture, her hands slid down his sculpted body down to his still bulging region. Her fingers glided up and down his shaft to message his sacks, which got a moan from his lips only. When he felt her hands leave his stiffened region to go up to his shoulders he was more than a little disappointed.

"Follow my lead," she said. She shifted positions with him so he was the one on the bottom and she was on top. He rarely gave her the chance to dominate him instead of being the submissive one, but this time he allowed it. When she positioned herself on top of him fully, she thrashed down on him. He met her move with a jerk of his own, she gasped, and he groaned - he could feel himself deep within her, she could feel him deeper than ever before in her.

He sat instead of lied down all the way, so her body was pressed to his even more as she rocked on him, as his hands roamed every inch of her before grasping her bottom and pull her closer, harder down. With her quickened pace, neither restrained themselves - each let whatever noises they wanted to make go without any regard for the fact that they were being awfully _loud_.

When her hands moved from his shoulders to his hot cheeks he turned his gaze to meet hers. She yanked his lips to hers. It took far more thought than it should have for him to remember what he was supposed to do as she jerked him around. It was glorious, everything about her was glorious.

His tongue tangled with hers as her movements changed. They were smaller but quicker as she narrowed her grasp around his neck to tighten their bodies. Many times before she had felt that they may have merged to form one being but never so much as they did in that moment. Their chest clashed together. Their thighs twisted and locked — moving effortlessly to meet the others advances — and their arms binding them together.

Finally, with the final thrust, both found a release - her second, his first.

She cried out again, this time she wasn't coherent enough to say his name. After a short while they were apart, both lying on the bed, both trying to catch their breath.

"That…" she gasped in as she shut her eyes, "that … Inuyasha, that's the last time for the next two weeks be-because I … really did need to sort things out. Alright?"

Reluctantly, he grumbled, "Yeah. Sure."

Really. It was ridiculous, after all that he still couldn't find something to relieve the feeling within him. He got a release, just not the one he was looking for after all.

What did that even mean?

**.oooOoOooo.**

The next morning she awoke to an empty bed, Inuyasha had snuck out at some point that night after the third encounter. Her roommates teased her for the way she came in the night before, how loud they were, and how she had already given into Inuyasha again. She didn't want to hear it so she went home for the weekend to spend her younger brother, mother, and grandpa.

The _entire weekend_ she had tried to build up the courage to talk to her mom about the fact that apparently her dad wasn't her dad - but then again, each time she was about to bring it up she realized … that Inuyasha was the only one that said it. Just because he said it didn't mean it was true. He could have just been screwing with her. But … she doubted it.

And, oddly enough, she trusted him.

Still she couldn't bring it up, she couldn't ask. She didn't even know how to. Her mother and grandpa were so close. How cold she not be his real grand-baby? Her mother would never have been able to live with the guilt if she had an affair and had another man's baby. No. That wasn't like her mother at all.

She spent plenty of time that weekend look at an album of photos to see her father. They looked alike, she thought, her dad had black hair and brown eyes - just like her. He loved her … and even though he was only part of her life for five years, she loved him.

Just like her mother did. She never remarried, never dated again. She always said that she had already met the love of her life and she didn't see the point in trying to find another. He would merely be a replacement, her father would always own her heart. How could she say that if she cheated? She couldn't…

Each night when the dark cascaded through the sky, she made a point to lock all the doors and windows. She couldn't even sleep in her room without a light on. Her home … that stalker could know where she lived. She was a little relieved to go back to her apartment. Somehow she felt safer there. There was a guard that manned the lobby at night so that no one but residents or their guests could get up. She was ten stories up so no one could climb in through her window and she had two roommates that could handle themselves.

She was also a happy to return to her internship that Monday. It took her longer than normal to get dressed that day. What should she wear…? Which shoes, and what type of panties? No. There was no chance she'd give into Inuyasha, that she'd have sex with him so soon so she picked white cotton underwear with pink clouds and slid them on instead of the lacy black and pink pair she had been looking at. But she did pick a form fitting grey dress with a black belt to wear that day, and black wedge heels. Her most comfortable pair.

Once she got in, her morning was going just fine. There was plenty of work to keep her mind off of everything, but then she had to take files to hand into Sango and that caused her to get a bit nervous. She hadn't really had to deal one-on-one with her since that night she saw her kiss Miroku. Cautiously, she entered the office after knocking to hand them over.

"Thank you," Sango said as she took them and set them down then looked her in the eyes. "Mio says you played with her Friday."

She swallowed, was that a good or bad thing? She wasn't sure…

"Miroku…" Sango slowly started, "Miroku cares a lot about his work. That's not to say he doesn't love Mio more than anything else, but … sometimes when he works with her here she gets so bored and upset. When she came home this morning, all she could talk about was how nice Miss Kagome was. How much fun she had with you, thank you."

She smiled. "I like Mio a lot, too. She's sweet, a lot of fun. If you ever need a babysitter, I'd be happy to help."

"Thank you," Sango said again, a genuine smile surfaced for the first time in Kagome's presence. "I would appreciate that."

"Great," she chimed before bowing her head some and leaving to go back to work. Finally, she was on good terms with her supervisor. It was a great day until … she glanced over to see Inuyasha coming out of a conference room with a couple of other people. Once he got to the elevators someone - well, _Yura_, her partner - walked up to him. She started a conversation with him until she leaned forward to press her lips to his.

Her eyes grew wide - he was with more than one interns? She shook her head and looked away before she started off, quickly, back to her cubical. She didn't know why she felt so … so … so something. They were _not _exclusive. She had told him that the chance of them having sex with her was null so … so?

She took a deep breath when she sat down at her cubical. It took no time for Ayame to slid her seat up to her. With ease she was able to wiggle out her roommate's worries.

"Well, you two never said you were exclusive," Ayame reminded her, only to receive a cruel glare. "Maybe you should have an actual relationship with someone? Other than him. Someone _less_ complicated. He obviously has some unrequited love issues with that person, Kikyou. You deserve someone who'll only love you."

She wanted to smile at Ayame, to thank her for saying something so kind, but she only frowned instead. "I don't have time for a real relationship."

"You would if you wanted to. Besides, I know someone perfect -"

"Hiro is kind of … clingy, already," she warned her quickly.

"I noticed. I was going to say Houjo."

She just shook her head at that.

"Hey … you and Miroku are kinda tight all of a sudden, right?"

"I'm not going to get with him, either," Kagome countered quickly yet dully. "Besides, he has a kid and is in love with Sango."

"That wasn't what I was getting at. I was … kind of hoping you could do me a favor. Miroku's cousins with Akimoto Kouga so … could you find out stuff about him?"

"Because you have a crush?" Kagome questioned with a grin. "I could do that."

"Great, thanks!"

It was, really, the least she could do for her best friend.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was Ayame's sake that she went up to _his_ floor, but not to see him, to see Miroku, who was still there at five after five. She wasn't surprised by that in the least. His door was even opened, but she still knocked on it. Once he looked up from his computer and over at her he smiled. "How can I help you, Kagome?"

"I was just … curious about something, thought I might ask you about it," she explained as she walked in to sit down at one of the chairs.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Well … I hear you and Akimoto Kouga are cousins, but … he…"

"He's a werewolf?" he guessed, she nodded. "He's also a descent of Fūjin, but his blood has dulled down to the level where it would be barely noticeable. It helps that my mother's a Zanki, or else I might not have been categorized as a supernatural either. He was turned when he was young. A couple decades ago, and entered our society. Does that answer your question?"

"Yep, but now I have another. Was he turned willingly or…?"

"Willingly. You're so curious about Kouga all of a sudden, is there any particular reason?"

She just shrugged her should before giving the first excuse that came to mind. "He's a VP. I guess I'm just curious about him. I know about the rest."

"Hayashi Kaede's your roommate, right?" He waited for another nod. "Did you learn of Hayashi Kikyou from her?"

No. Not really. She never asked Kaede about her sister and she felt like she preferred it that way. She loved her sister, obviously, but she also felt a little overshadowed by her as well. The way she was always talked of, the way people always compared the two, the way people always - constantly - talked to her about Kikyou. It'd make Kaede happier if Kagome never did. Though, it was a lie to say that she wasn't curious about the women.

"Inuyasha and her were together in the past," he began to explain, without being asked. "For a while, but they haven't been together in fifty years. It's annoying how Inuyasha can't let go. She has, she's moved on. She's getting married to Shichinintai Suikotsu."

"Why would he be so hung up on someone he hasn't been with in fifty years?" Kagome questioned, attempting her best to sound uninterested the topic. As if she were merely asking about the weather.

He just shrugged a shoulder and glanced out his door. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Not that interested," she assured him.

"Not that interested in what?" Inuyasha inquired, causing her to jump some in her seat before looking over her shoulder to see him standing at the door. "It wouldn't have anything to do with me, now would it?"

"No, not at all," Miroku assured with a nod of his head. "Inuyasha, I bet I know what you are doing here."

"Oh, what I am doing here then?" He questioned wearily with narrowed eyes.

"To take Kagome home so she wouldn't have to walk all the way by herself, why, aren't you so chivalrous?"

He rolled his eyes at that before he sighed. "I guess I could."

"You don't have to," Kagome said. She picked up her bag and began to walk away quickly, brushing by him on the way out. She was quick to get to the elevators and press the button down, her eyes shifted to the stairs. Would that be quicker? No. It wasn't like Inuyasha was following her but … the moment she looked to the side she saw Inuyasha was there.

"Why so jumpy?" he asked. "Why in such a rush to get away from me? You aren't mad that I didn't stay the night, are you? Your bed's like the size of the one you had in your dorm. It was hardly comfortable."

"I have a twin bed in the dorm. That's full size, it's bigger," she countered. It wasn't that, though, she hadn't even thought twice about it.

"So what is it?" He asked as the elevator door chimed open, he walked in after her much to her obvious discomfort. "If I did something, I'd like to know."

"Nothing, you did nothing," she said with her eyes fixated forward.

If that were the case then she wouldn't be so firm. So … annoyed looking. Women, they were such a problem.

"_What_ did I do?" He kept up.

"Nothing," she insisted. Her eyes fixed on the number as they started to go down. "You don't need to do anything for me. You don't need to walk me home or drive me if you don't want to. You aren't obligated to."

"I'm aware of that," he answered. Was it that he didn't seem so eager to do just that? Is that why she was mad. "I'm taking you," he said as he followed her out the elevator and grabbed her arm to yank her back to him. "That's that, you aren't walking around until that half-breed is caught."

"Then just find him already!" She snapped as she yanked her arm away.

That stopped him. His brow bent, was that what was bothering her?

"Kagome … we're trying. He must have went under cover. Just give us more time. There's a lead. People are out following it right now."

"Fine, whatever," she muttered as she pulled herself free and started to stomp her way out of there. Again he grabbed her and yanked her towards the exit for the parking garage. "Inuyasha!"

"You aren't walking home alone in the dark!"

"If it's so important then why don't you drive Yura home, too, huh?" Kagome pushed him away.

"Yura…?" he murmured while he followed Kagome as she quickly went at the door. At least she was in the garage. "Who the hell's Yura?"

"Ah!" She gasped as she turned around to look at him. "You don't even know the name of one of your _conquests_?"

"Conquests?" And then it started to make sense. She was jealous. She thought there was another. He grinned . "Kagome, I haven't had a conquests since you."

"And before that?" she asked with a narrowed eyes.

"You."

"Before that?"

"You."

That stopped her for a bit as her rigid shoulders loosened. Her gaze shifted up and down him before she dared to ask again, "Before that?"

"You."

She looked away for a moment then back. "But … I saw her kiss you today."

"That chick?" _Finally_, she made sense. "Right, she randomly did that. I don't know her. She's not one of my 'conquests.' I gather she'd like to be. But I'm not Miroku, I don't have a new girl every weekend. I would remember her, too, since she seems kind of crazy..."

"She is … I guess I overreacted," she said as her eyes met the ground.

"Just a little," he mocked while he walked up to his car to open it up so that she could get in. Once they were in the car, he couldn't help but point out, "I didn't even through such a fit when I knew you fucked Sesshomaru."

"Shut up," she ordered meekly, a frown on her face, her eyes shifted outward. "I regret that, a lot, alright?"

"Regret having sex with Sesshomaru?" he questioned. He started his car and pulled out. His eyes unnervingly on her. She knew that it was a terrible idea, since he should have been paying attention to where he was going instead of her.

"Yes," she answered all the same. "It was a stupid impulse. I should … have just called you instead."

"I agree," he said as he turned his attention forward. "Kagome, you're a huge hand full."

She frowned at that as she glanced to him. Was this the whole 'it's too complicated' conversation all over again? Just this time with a different ending … a permanent 'no more'?

"I don't have time to deal with work, sup matters, you, _and_ someone else. Alright? So don't get all crazy about these things. I'm not getting with someone else on the side."

"I don't have time for another else, either," she said. "Then let's not … have sex with other people. If we are both too busy, after all."

"I could deal with that," he said. He pulled in front of the apartment complex. His eyes shifted to Kagome then out to the building and back again. His hand slid from the wheel to her bare leg and up it to almost under her dress.

"Inuyasha," she dragged out as she grabbed her hand, her eyes on his. "Two weeks, please give me that time."

"What's left to sort out?"

"I just found out I'm not human, that my mom might have had an affair, that I might be part demon, that -"

"You are," he stated to freeze her. "I can smell it. It's not as strong as a full blood, nor a half-breed, it's more faint. Like you are just a quarter."

"I don't understand. You said it wasn't always like this until after the assault, right?"

He nodded. "If it helps, your mom might not have had an affair. She wasn't married to your father when she gave birth to you."

"Yes she was," she snapped as she hit his hand away from her leg finally. "I know it for a fact. They've been married for seven years when he died. I was five."

"Their marriage license tells a different story. They were married for only four."

"Why would you know?" she snapped.

"We looked into this. We have legal connections. We're trying to figure this out just like you are," he asserted. "And the Japanese government said that it was only for four years. She lied. He was written in as your father before they got married, though. On your birth certificate, I mean."

Her hard gaze only fixated on him before she grabbed the door to try and get out. He grabbed her leg again to catch her attention.

"Inuyasha!"

"Gami is trying to help you. _I_ am trying to help you," he stated firmly.

"Can you not deal with sex for two weeks?" she harshly inquired.

"I said nothing about sex," he asserted. "I was just going to kiss you goodbye."

That stopped her for a moment, she relaxed then frowned. Why did she always have to accuse him of things he hadn't done? Then her hand moved down to his hand that was on her thigh once more.

"And feel you up a bit," he added with a grin. "That's all. You said no sex, but not no to everything else."

"That's true," she whispered before she leaned towards him so that their lips could press against one another. It wasn't completely innocent though, since his hand slipped up under her skirt. "Inuyasha…"

"Two weeks is a long time," he grumbled as she opened the door and got out.

"Maybe two weeks won't be the real case ... just give me some time, though."

"Fine," he gripped as she shut the door and then watched him drive away.

At least she felt one complication was taken off the table. She didn't have to worry about Inuyasha with someone else, and he didn't have to concern himself of the thought of her with another. There was still a rather long list of other things but ... for now, that was good enough.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful reviews :) I really do appreciate every last one of them. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.  
><em>

_Thanks._

_**Next Chapter:** Words of Anger_


	9. Words of Anger

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 9: Words of Anger<em>**

Never in all her life had she screamed so loud. After everything she had to take a series of deep breaths, to try and regain herself, to try and calm her quivering body. It was harder said than done, but it helped to close her eyes to channel everything out. Until she felt hands roam down her body once more.

"Your roommates must hate it when I'm here," the man beside her teased. "You're always so loud. They must never get any sleep."

Her hands flew up to cover her mouth as she opened her eyes to look at the auburn eyed, short black haired. Inuyasha that lied beside her. She always forgot about that. She had promised them the last three times the morning after he was there that she would not be so loud but … she always forgot in the heat of the moment. A month had flown by since she gave him that 'two week' period. That really only lasted a week before they were at it again.

Nothing had been achieved in that time period. She didn't understand her blood anymore than before, she had yet to confront her mother with the knowledge that her father and her hadn't married after she was born. And her stalker still had not been caught. Which meant, every night after work, if she wasn't walking home with her roommates, then Inuyasha was taking her. Most of the time, she stayed at least an extra ten or twenty minutes so she could miss her roomies and be able to get Inuyasha to leave work with her.

Then his lips started to move up her arm to her shoulder before he moved from lying beside her to over her. He was ready for another round and the smile she gave him confirmed she was alright with another go. Their lips mingled for a bit before he felt her push him some, a sign that she wanted to be on top that time. He could deal with that, but when he leaned over to get on his back he fell off the bed instead.

She couldn't help but laugh at that as he groaned and muttered a series of crude curses.

"I hate your goddamn bed," he grunted as he glared up at her. "It's so fucking small."

"No it's not," she assured him back softly as she scooted to the edge so she could look at the man who rearranged himself to sit up with his back against the bed. "You just have an abnormally large one."

"I like mine," he complained. "Why can't we just always fuck there?"

"We almost always do, this is … what, the fourth time we've been here?"

"Let's make it the last."

The laugh that he heard again made him want to kill her a little, then he felt her fiddle with his hair before she kissed his ear. Her other hand slid down his shoulder to his chest. He shut his eyes to her touch and took a deep breath. "Your scent's so fucking addictive and the sex … it's all like a drug and I can't get enough."

She wasn't so sure how she felt about that. Hearing the sex was good was always welcomed, but to always have him tell her how her scent was what drew his attention at first, that he only started to talk to her at the party they first met at because of it, and only allowed her to become his toyfriend - he said fuck buddy - because of it.

"Is that … so," she said, withholding the urge to sigh.

"You only started this with me because you thought I was attractive," he countered as he looked up to her. "Am I right? You think I'm handsome, so you wanted to fuck me. I think you are pretty, obviously, but I also like your scent. Is that wrong?"

When he put it like that then … she really did not have a lot to argue with.

"Get back up here," Kagome requested as she slid her fingers up the line of his chin then she leaned forward to kiss him once more.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Hayashi Kikyou, Takamoru Sesshomaru, Akimoto Kouga, and Takamoru Inuyasha all sat at the meeting table. Their eyes all on the man that was leading the session - Takamoru Inutaisho. Their talk of actual business had been put aside so that they could get back to the matters that meant more to them. Supernatural ones, and one that grabbed Inuyasha's attention in particular.

"The half-breed that attacked Higurashi Kagome's name is Naraku," Inutashi announced. He set a file down in front of them, one with a picture of the man. Inuyasha nodded to agree that that was the guy she had seen. "He has been at this for a long while now, not always going by this name, not always looking this way. He has killed many descendents of a shikon nymphs. With the addition of Kagome's I think that … that perhaps he has a full jewel now."

"That is something to worry about," said Sesshomaru.

"I concur," Kouga declared, unneeded, since the rest felt the exact same way. Still he continued on, liking the sound of his own voice, "If someone like him, who disregards all our rules, has something that could make him so powerful then we need to find him and kill him."

"What do you think we're trying to do?" Inuyasha said with a dull glare fixated on Kouga.

"Settle down," Inutaisho ordered, knowing full well what would happen if he allowed Kouga to snap back. Sometimes he felt like he was refereeing a couple of children instead of the Vice Presidents of a multibillion dollar company and high ranking members of the supernatural society. Usually, he was aware his sons were the ones that spent a majority of the meetings bickering back and forth. The hatred they felt for each other was numbing to him.

"The lead…" Kikyou cautiously began, oddly wearily, which earned all the men's attention. It was highly unlike Hayashi Kikyou to be uncertain of her words, to sound so … strange. Almost as if scared? "The one that the trackers followed last month, it was what brought this information to light?"

"It is," Inutaisho said with a nod, "though, it led us to a dead end. We're unable to find Naraku, but we're still looking. Once we have him he will be placed in front of the chairmen and they will decide his fate."

"It ought to be death," Inuyasha insisted. "The bastard has attacked at least - what? Three or four shikon nymphs? He killed them, all but Kagome. If I hadn't have gotten there when I did, he probably would have just killed her as well."

"Probably," his father muttered. "Of course he will be sentenced to death, Inuyasha. They still have to be the ones to hand down that judgment."

"Keh, I'd like to do it myself," Inuyasha grumbled.

"I just wanted to make all of you aware of this information," Inutaisho stated as he stood up. "This meeting is finished. Go back to work."

And just like that, they all started to pool out of the meeting room, but instead of heading back to the elevator and up to his floor, he felt a delicate touch pull him to the side. He didn't have to look to see, he already knew it was Kikyou. He allowed it and waited for her to gather the courage to speak. It was … concerning to him. The last time she had such difficulties talking to him, such wavering eyes, she was telling him that she was getting married to Suikotsu.

"Inuyasha," she finally started as her eyes met his. "N … Naraku used to go by a different name. He used to look unusual … but we knew him then. I'm not sure if you want to tell your father or not."

"We did?" he asked with a bent brow. "How so? Did he work here?"

She shook her head slightly as she looked away. "Onigumo. His name was … Onigumo."

Just as she had expected, he tensed up, and there was a chilling silence between the two. He lifted a hand to place on her shoulder. It slowly moved up to cup her cheek and turn her face back towards his. Their eyes locked.

"I'll kill him, Kikyou," Inuyasha said firmly, yet softly as his thumb caressed her cheek. "Don't worry about a thing. Let's … let's not tell anyone this. Let's keep it just between the two of us."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said, finally let her breath go.

"How did you know? That they're the same person?"

"I just can. I knew he was after shikon nymphs, too, but I was hoping it wouldn't be him … I prayed he was dead."

"I won't let anything happen to you, not like before," he promised her which was enough to earn a weak smile.

"That's sweet, Inuyasha," she placed her hand on top of his. "But I would worry more about your new woman than me."

"My new…? Kagome?" Inuyasha guessed, that really was the only person she could be talking about. "She's not my new woman. We're just messing around, that's all."

"Right, how long are you going to keep telling yourself that lie?" she taunted as she pried his hand away from her cheek. "I'm happy for you, from what Kaede says she's a nice girl. I know Miroku is quite fond of her, and if your best friend is so approving I can't imagine it could be wrong."

"Don't talk like that," he requested, but it fell on deaf ears as she walked away.

Across the hall, a pair of hazels watched most of the scene intently, a bit of extra green in them all the while. She could only bear until he placed a hand on Kikyou's cheek before she turned her attention back to Kobayashi Sango who was showing her a project in the meeting room she was in. It was only through the open door that she saw any of that. Inuyasha still had a thing for her … it was so annoying. So bothersome. So … something she shouldn't feel so jealous of…

"Are you paying attention, Kagome?" snapped her back to looking from the power point to Sango.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Since Mio's apparent approval in Kagome, Sango had taken her under her wing to give her special guidance. Apparently, if she disliked her merely because she flirted with Miroku and had sex with Sesshomaru, that didn't matter anymore. Her daughter's opinion of a person ranked higher, which Kagome could respect. It wasn't until after she met Mio that she noticed all the photos of the girl in Sango's office. She had always been in such a hurry to get in and out of it that she never really looked around.

The one of Sango's desk, the one that faced only her, was the one Kagome liked best. Mio must have been just a baby in that photo, but she was being held by _both_ her parents. She had never seen such a smile on Miroku, and though Sango's eyes were fixated on their infant, his were on Sango. Often, she wondered what had happened between the two, but the subject was such a sore spot for Miroku she didn't dare ask and Sango … she didn't know well enough yet.

Sango opened her mouth to say something but when she, too, looked out the doorway she noticed what must have had her attention.

"I like Kikyou, she's a good friend of mine," Sango started which earned a bent brow and curious gaze from Kagome. "But … her and Inuyasha weren't good together. She knows that. She's moved on."

But he hasn't, that was the implication.

"It's been a long day," Sango said as she turned off the computer and stretched. "I'm going to leave early so I can pick Mio up from day care on time for once. Why don't you go home, too?"

"It's not five yet," Kagome said.

"It's close enough, you put in more hours than most of the other interns. It won't hurt if you leave early every once and a while."

She was really more than happy to leave, her late nights with Inuyasha and early mornings for the internship were taking a toll on her. Even though she was still young, she was starting to feel like if she didn't catch up on her sleep, she'd probably get sick. Without a word to her roommates, she went home, knowing they'd be jealous of her getting to leave before them.

Since it was light out, she didn't think twice about making the three block journey alone. Not to mention the crowded streets she stayed on gave her added comfort. It was unlikely that anything would happen to her with so many witnesses around - and, really, she hated that she had to think like that. Once she arrived back at the apartment she quickly changed into an oversized shirt and removed what little make up she wore, brushed her teeth, and lied down to take a nap.

It didn't take long at all for her to fall asleep … and if not for her phone that rang she might not have woken up until the morning that night. She groaned as she rolled around in her bed trying to figure out where that horrible ringing came from. When it slowly dawned on her that it was her phone, she opened her eyes to look over her room that was then pitch black. It took her looking to her clock on the night stand to see that she had been asleep for a good three hours and it had just turned eight.

Though, by the time all that had processed, her phone had stopped. So she just stretched and decided to not get up. It wasn't like she had anything to do that night, and she did like to be lazy every once and a while. Unfortunately, her phone went off again.

With a frustrated grumble, she reached out to grab it off her night stand and see it was Inuyasha calling. If it were anyone else she wouldn't have bothered but…

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"At home," she said as she lied her head back down. She thought about adding 'in bed', but Inuyasha would misunderstand that as an invitation. She really was _not_ in the mood for him.

"You could have told me you left," he gripped. "Your roommates didn't even know where you went."

For a fleeting moment, she wanted to hang up on him and just turn her phone off. If he was going to be jerk like that, but then another thought came to mind - how he had been taking her home almost every day and if he didn't, then he'd know she was walking with her roommates. Was it that … could it be … that he was worried about her?

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry, Were you worried?"

The silence on the other side of the line was an answer enough.

That was sweet and it brought a smile to her face, she could forgive him for the earlier indiscretion - the one even she knew she shouldn't be so upset about. "That's cute. You're cute."

"I am _not_ cute," he retorted.

"Alright," she said with a laugh. "Then that's a handsome feature in a handsome man - is that better?"

"You're mocking me," he grumbled. That was _always_ a sore spot for him and he was _always_ quick to accuse her of doing just that. She never did it out of ridicule, merely taunting, but he still hated to be mocked. She didn't get it in the least bit - but, then again, she didn't have to grow up as a half-breed in a world that disapproved.

"I was not. Honestly, I think it's adorable."

"I'm close to hanging up on you."

"What? I don't get it. Why's it wrong for me to be happy that you care enough to be worried about my well being?"

And, he was quiet for a long while. "I just pulled up outside your complex."

"You want to come up?"

"I want you to down, I ain't spending another night in that bed of yours. It's tiny."

"It's _not_ that small. I'll be like ten minutes, alright?"

"Fine," he muttered before hanging up, Ten minutes was an annoying long time to wait. But she had to get ready, she pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and a loose fitting tank top before pulling her hair up in a pony tail, brushing her teeth, and washing her face. Then she grabbed what she liked to call her 'to go' bag. The small pink stripped black duffle bag that she brought with her each time she was going to spend the night at Inuyasha's. It had a change of clothes for the next day, in case she didn't have time to go back to hers.

Just as promised, his car was idling outside when she finally came down. He muttered a complaint about how long it took her once she got into the car and pulled away so they could take the ten to fifteen minute drive over to his place. It wasn't until they started to edge closer and closer that she turned her attention from the sidewalk to look at Inuyasha. He had a rather intense expression upon his face. His eyes were focused forward. His brows lightly furrowed together.

There was something on his mind and it wasn't her. Why did he want her to come to his place that night? She couldn't help but wonder - thinking it was right - that his mind was stuck on something Kikyou related. But then again … she had accused him of a lot of things that turned out to be false. She was probably just a distraction for him … to try and get something off of his mind.

No, she shook her head again.

When they finally reached his apartment, she set her bag down and watched as he walked around his living room. His eyes fixated out the window all the while.

"Let's go to bed," Kagome said, which finally earned her his attention. He didn't look as pleased or excited as she had hoped.

He wasn't so sure if he wanted to … he was far from in the mood. He only brought her home because he was worried about her, much against his will. But hearing about Naraku … learning he used to be Onigumo - he regretted not killing him that night he found him lingering over an unconscious Kagome more and more.

He couldn't tell her_ 'I don't want to have sex tonight',_ when he had brought her back to his place. She was already in his bedroom. Slowly, he started to follow her into the bedroom to see her already sitting on his bed, but not unclothed. Her eyes just wandered around before they landed on him.

He walked up to her and she raised her hand to start to take his pants off, undoing his belt, unbutton, then un-zip. It took some time for both to get down to just the underwear, it wasn't as if they were in a frenzy to see each other naked, nor were either really passionate about what was about to happen. He sat down next to her on the bed once she was in nothing but her blue panties. She hadn't even worn a bra over to his.

"You don't seem to be in the mood," he finally said. She wasn't working quickly or smiling like she usual was. She was just … going through the motions like he was.

"It's not that," she assured as she brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. "I just woke up when you called."

"We don't need to do anything."

"Then what am I doing here? If you don't want to do anything…?"

"I don't know," he muttered back as he lied down and rested his head in his folded arms.

He was giving her an out … but the way he stared aimlessly at the ceiling told her that he was again thinking about whatever was on his mind from earlier. It might have been selfish, but she didn't want him to think about anyone but her. Surely not Kikyou. Her eyes shifted down him then. He had a great body, she had remembered asking whether that was thanks to the demon blood or not one night. Since she had yet to meet an overweight demon - sure, goblins, and a few other sups were fat, but not them.

He had admitted the demon blood helped, but he went to the gym, too. She didn't have to do that to stay skinny. She just ate right and sometimes skipped a meal here and there. That and sex with Inuyasha was pretty much the best work out she could get.

She turned around on the bed to get onto her knees and nudge forward enough to be by his side ones more. He obviously knew she was moving, but didn't bother to look at her. It just annoyed her further. That was why she pulled his boxers down to run her hand down the length of his dick - finally, that got his attention.

All it took was her touch, and he was suddenly in the mood.

So she did it again, from bottom to top, only to stop to graze the tip, then dragged her hand up again to start to massage his sacks lightly, with an almost feather like touch. He just shut his eyes and pressed his lips together to reframe from making any noise. She was barely doing anything and he was already stiffening to her touch.

Her soft strokes had his full attention. She wrapped her hand entirely around his thick, very aroused, shaft and made slow thrusts at first, going up and down, which earned a grunt or two from him. The pace increased until he felt himself nearing the edge, but he didn't want to get off in her hand so he grabbed it and rearranged them so that she was underneath him. Harshly, he yanked her panties off. It was only then that he realized something, both from the general lack of wetness and her scent - she wasn't nearly as aroused as he was.

That simply wouldn't do. He was throbbing with a sudden, intense, desire to fuck her senseless.

Without him even noticing it, she grabbed him below again, he faltered at the feeling and almost let himself give way to fall on top of her - which finally earned him that smile he had been missing earlier. She ran her hand up and down his length in an ever-so tight grip. She bit her bottom lip with pleasure at the sound of his groan.

"Kagome," Inuyasha muttered. "If you keep doing that… I won't be able to restrain myself."

"Who says I want you to?" she countered quickly. He just grinned as he pushed her hand away and spread her legs for him being thrusting into her - he took a deep breath in, loving the feeling that brought. He worked slow at first, making sure she was really ready for him to go full blast, when she bucked upward to make his long, slow, movements he knew she was.

"Go faster," she ordered.

And he obliged the demand, with pleasure he watched her moan and buck under him. When he pulled out to thrust once more, he grabbed her right leg to guide her into rolling over on her stomach. He was aware that wasn't her favorite position to be in, but that night she gave into him without an argument. He leaned over her bent form and started to pound into her harder than before, listening to her gasps and moans, watching her breasts bounce up and down. That was when his free hand, the one not holding onto her hips, grabbed onto one and rub it.

"Inuyasha!" She cried, over and over throughout the process. He simply _loved_ to hear - he was almost positive she was doing it on purpose, just to please him. And he loved that more.

He moved his hand from her hip to below her to rub her clit, earning an incoherent cry from her for that pleasurable act. The stimulation from that and him pounding into her, hitting one of her favorite spots, was more than enough to throw her into an orgasm. He came quickly after her - rather amazed he could hold out that long.

When it was over he let her drop to bed, her eyes closed and breath quick as he rested beside her, pulling her body against his. He tilted her to the side so that he could kiss her for the first time that night.

"Kagome," Inuyasha started after taking a deep breath to regain himself. "That was … great. What's gotten into you tonight?"

It was a taunting question, a pleased one, obviously he'd like to know what would spark her to act like _that_ again. She didn't want to tell him the truth, so she just shrugged her shoulder against his firm body. She felt his lips upon her neck, it was just a temporary movement.

"Seriously, where'd that come from?"

"Drop it, Inuyasha," she requested weakly, less to do with the topic and more with the fact that she had yet to gain her breath back.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said, propping himself up on an elbow to look at her - she was evasive, though, since her gaze moved across the room. "Hey, what is it?"

"She's…" she slowly started before frowning. "She's so pretty, like a super model…"

It took him a moment to grasp who she was talking about, he grinned - was she jealous of Kikyou? Was that what sparked the passionate fuck frenzy?

"You're talking about Kikyou, aren't you?"

"I always see you two together. I know you used to be together, like _fifty_ years ago," she emphasized while she looked up to him. "That's forever ago."

"Not that long," he countered quickly, almost harshly. "Time's different for demons."

"You're so old," she grumbled. She really hated the age difference. It was so huge, so daunting, that more often than naught she'd have to ask herself _what are you doing_? If he was twenty-five she wouldn't have an issue with it - hell, if he was thirty-five she'd be fine! But two hundred and fifty fucking years old? That's so … ancient.

She was only twenty, after all, which he brought up right away.

"You don't get it, you're too young to. Kikyou and I were together for a long time."

"Whatever," she muttered back as she pushed him off of her. "The Great Inuyasha's still hung up on a women that's moved on to marry another. That's kinda sad, huh?"

It was a mocking tone she used with him, he just _knew_ it, and it drove him crazy. He growled. "You're just a fucking fling, Kagome. Until I can get her back."

That stung, _way_ more than it should have, to hear him confirm her suspicions. It was true, they were just a fling, neither had said - hey, let's date! - and that wasn't even something she was considering but … but it still hurt. And for that, she got mad at herself.

_Check yourself Higurashi. We're just fucking. It wasn't like I was in love - I will _not _fall in love with him_. Those were the words that repeated in her head over and over again as both fell silent. She did not want to date him, ergo she didn't want to love him. She knew … that he would cause her heart ache. If it already hurt when they were just toyfriends. She sure as hell wasn't going to deal with that.

And she didn't want to deal with him, but she couldn't leave, or else he'd know that that knowledge bothered her. She didn't want to give him that advantage, so she just shut her eyes.

The mood was killed anyway.

**.oooOoOooo.**

They hadn't really spoken in two days, neither were in the mood to call on the either. All she did was text him at the end of her days telling him that she was going home with her roommates. She wasn't sure what his problem was, but hers was obvious.

Fine, she was _fine_ with being a fling until he got Kikyou back, but she just didn't want to have sex with him since that declaration. Maybe he was just busy … either way, she didn't worry herself too much about it. She got into the elevator to ride back down to her floor after delivering documents to someone four up.

"Hold it!" Someone called out. She slid her arm between the closing door so it would register it needed to open again. As soon as they were the werewolf Akimoto Kouga entered with a relieved sigh. "Thanks."

"In a hurry?" she guessed as she leaned against the back of the elevator. It was only then that he bothered to look at her.

"Yes," he acknowledged before a grin rose up his lips. "I know who you are."

"You do?" she asked, shock coated her words as she looked into his bright blue eyes. They had sort of met once, at that meeting she had attended during school, but otherwise they hadn't ran into each other. So it was either he was mistaking her for another or he had an amazing memory.

"Higurashi Kagome. The shikon nymph everyone's talking about."

"People are talking about me?" That was news to her. She tilted her head slightly in confusion and his smile only widened as he turned around to walk up to her. They were just a breath away.

"Yeah, my cousin Miroku's told me a lot about you, too," he added, which made sense to her. She had been seeing a lot of him, particularly whenever he had Mio. "He says … you've been asking a lot about me."

Her expression went blank then. It was true she had been asking a lot of random questions about him to Miroku over the month, but that was only because Ayame wanted to know more about the so-called sexy VP Akimoto Kouga. And as her best friend and a friend of his cousin, she asked whatever question Ayame wanted an answer to. She didn't think that Miroku would tell Kouga.

She could see how easy it would be for Miroku to misunderstand that as an interest in Kouga, and Kouga to see it that way, too.

"Uh," was all she could think to say at first until her eyes shifted to the hand he placed by her head to lean on. It was apparent he thought he was charming, and probably already charmed her, but she didn't understand why so many girls found him attractive.

"Wanna go out sometime, babe? You can ask me _all_ the questions you want."

Her eyes widened at the blatant question, but she didn't have to figure out how to answer that in the most polite 'no' possible, because the elevator door opened up. Then Kouga was yanked away from her and pushed out by a rather pissed Inuyasha. His hot auburn gaze fixated upon Kouga's sizzling sky blue eyes before he reached out to press the close door button.

"Hey, I wanted off on that floor, too," Kagome complained before he pressed the button for his floor, which was the complete opposite direction that she wanted to go.

"What the hell was that?" he snapped as he glared over at her. "Huh? Screwing Sesshomaru wasn't enough, you had to try and get the only male VP you haven't -"

"Don't even finish that sentence," she ordered. She reached out to press the button for her floor.

"We can't see other people, we agreed on that," Inuyasha retorted. "That means no Kouga."

"Gods, Inuyasha," Kagome grumbled with a shake of her head. "So he was hitting on me, get over it! I have no interest in him - my _best_ friend does! I would never do anything with him. You're a huge jerk."

He just shook his head and let the tense silence fall upon them then until Inuyasha got off on his floor and she was forced to ride all the way _again_.

**.oooOoOooo.**

She really had no interest in talking to Inuyasha that day, but she had to stay about thirty minutes more than her roommates to get a report finished on time. That meant, if she really wanted to avoid Inuyasha, she would have to walk home in the fading sunlight alone. It was stupid, she had walked all over Tokyo by hereslf since she was thirteen all by herself. She wasn't scared … so she left.

It was just three blocks anyway and the streets were busy. It wasn't going to be a problem - that's what she kept telling herself. Her eyes shifted all around her to make sure she could see anything come _if_ somewhere was about to happen. Just to make herself feel better she wanted to be talking on the phone.

But neither Kaede or Ayame answered when she called them. They had left a half hour ago, so what were they up to that meant they couldn't answer her call?

Just as she had suspected, she got back to her apartment well enough. There really was no need for Inuyasha to constantly drive her three blocks after all. Her whole floor seemed oddly quiet as she walked out of the elevator to go to her front door, she noticed that there was no light at the bottom of her door which meant that Kaede and Ayame weren't home?

Where could they have gone? They didn't mention anything when they left. They told her that they'd see her when she got home. Maybe they changed their mind? Maybe they went to get food? Her key entered the door to unlock it but ... it was already? Her heart pace quickened. They never _never_ left the door unlocked like that. Even when they were inside, they'd have at least one of the locks at work.

When she opened the door nothing but darkness greeted her. It was _pitch _black and nothing stirred. Maybe her roommates just … forgot to lock the door? She held her breath as she stepped in to grope the wall to in order to find the light switch.

She almost fell backwards when the room was illuminated. Screams tore through the apartment. Her heart stopped. There were a horde of people in the room, all with their arms in the air as the shouted _Happy Birthday_ to her. A banner was hung above some of them that read just that.

"We surprised you, didn't me?" Ayame laughed as she jumped over to hug her friend. "I knew we would!"

"Yeah…" she replied after it dawned on her - _it _was her birthday. Her twenty-first. She had completely forgotten.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," her mother said. She walked up to hug her. Her grandpa and brother by her side.

The more she looked around, the more work she realized her roommates had put into it. She recognized every face there. There were plenty of her friends from school and from her internship - Kohaku, Shippou, and even Yura. Everyone wished her the best, everyone got her at least a card if not a gift.

"Happy birthday," Houjo declared as he handed her a big yet thin box. It turned out to be the loveliest green silk scarf and a pair of scrubs. "For when we start medical school," he had explained. In exchange, she gave him a happy hug, which seemed to please him beyond belief.

"Kagome," Hiro chimed - a pang of regret came to her when she realized someone had invited him. "I'm so glad to see you. It's been forever! Have you not been getting my messages?"

If he meant mass texts and constant calls then yes she had, but they were so weird - she didn't understand why he was suddenly acting so unlike himself. Then again, they hadn't really known each other anymore. In high school, they were close but it had been three years. He could have changed … but so completely?

"Sorry, my phone's been acting up lately. I've been missing a lot of peoples texts and stuff," she lamely lied with a small laugh and a wave. "Thanks for coming."

"For you, anything," he said as he placed a hand on her arm and pulled her close.

"Hiro … I think I should tell you something," she began cautiously, trying to wiggle her way out of his grasp, but failed. "I'm seeing someone."

"You … you have a boyfriend?" he asked. Far more crushed by the answer than she had thought possible.

"Yeah," she stated. It was a lie, but it was a little one. She was only having sex with one man, Inuyasha, and though they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend she wasn't going to explain their toyfriend-ship to Hiro.

"Who?" he inquired harshly with bent brows. "Tell me."

"Uh…. Takamoru, someone I work with at Gami. He's not here," she explained. It would have felt wrong to say Inuyasha, so just using his last name was good enough.

"What kind of idiot would miss his alluring girlfriend's birthday party?"

It was a rather horribly worded sentence. She didn't know what to say at first. Then she fudged some more, "He's taking me out later. He's really busy. He isn't just an intern, he works there full time. He's a Vice President."

"Kagome!" Ayame chimed to yank her away from Hiro. "Everyone wants you to cut the cake now!"

"Who invited Hiro?" Kagome whispered.

"I don't know," she murmured back, "sorry."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Once her family left at around nine, her friends broke out the alcohol and the sofas were cleared to the side of the walls in the living room. Kaede converted her computer into a DJ stand so everyone could dance. It kept her up late that night, but she still had to be up in time for her internship. Groggily, her and her roommates made their way to Gami, not really talking to each other out of exhaustion.

It was only out of the corner of her eyes that she thought she saw something … but she wouldn't have stopped. Not if she didn't feel that strange pang - a dark, horrible, yet ever so faint feeling. Her eyes shifted to the side as her roommates entered Gami. That was when her hazels met with a pair of crimsons.

She lost the ability to breath. There he stood, leaning against a light post, his eyes stuck on her. Unwavering. There was no doubt that he was looking at anything but her. He raised a hand out of his pocket and wiggled a finger to try and summon him to her.

She shook her head and ran into the building, just barely catching an elevator in time to go up. She went almost all the way up, to the floor that Inuyasha's office was in. Quickly, she ran from the opening doors to him, but was stopped by Myoga - literally, the little man got up from behind his desk to block her. He had never done that before.

"I' sorry, Miss Higurashi, but Mr. Takamoru is very busy -"

"Move," she ordered. She pushed him to the side to open the door and see how 'busy' he was. Apparently, in the middle of a meeting since a man she never seen before was sitting across from him and so was Inutaisho. Inuyasha looked harshly at her.

"You can't just barge in here," Inuyasha said.

"This is Higurashi Kagome?" the man she'd never seen before was there. He had slicked back black hair, blinding silver-gray eyes, a mustache and a beard both pristinely trimmed. His eyes were fixated on her fearful face.

After a moment, though, Inuyasha got up and walked over to her. It was only then that he realized that her expression was completely off - there was something wrong with her.

"Th … that stalker from before is outside, right outside. He tried to get me to come over to him," Kagome said.

"Get someone out there," the black haired man demanded. Inutaisho got up and followed the request. "I want that half breed. Inuyasha, stay with the girl."

"Yes, Izanagi," he answered and bowed lightly before the man left. His auburn stare shifted down to still startled Kagome. It didn't make sense, Naraku had her shikon so what did he want from her now? He shouldn't have any interested in her. "Don't worry, Kagome."

All she did was nod. Her eye shifted about the office. Her arms wrapped around herself as she bit her lips together. Inuyasha moved away from her to go to his desk and open his drawer to pull out a small red gift wrapped box. He then brought it over to her to try and take her attention off the situation.

"I know your birthday was yesterday, but … we didn't really have a good moment so here."

"You got me a gift?" She whispered with a frown as she took it from him. "You really didn't need to."

"I'm aware of that. Open it."

She was cautious about it, sliding her finger under the tape to slip the box out of the wrapping. It was a simple black box. She opened it up and saw a pair of emerald earrings. They were in a tear drop shape, with a diamond at the top. Her mouth dropped as she looked from the gift to him.

"I have a lot of money, don't worry about it," he ordered, since he knew what she was think - _the gift was too much_.

"Thank you … Inuyasha, I really like them."

"Good, glad to hear it," he answered with a nod. "I'll get your work sent up to my office, so you can do it here today."

"Inuyasha," she drew out with a frown, "I can't. That would be weird. People would think it's strange for me to do that."

"It doesn't matter what they think. Most of them know we're fucking anyway."

"Inuyasha," she snapped, but didn't have a time to say anything more before his lips crashed against hers. When he parted her lips their tongues danced, each trying to gain dominance.

Once he pulled away he asked, "You're mad at me, huh? For what I said in bed the other night?"

"You're mad at me for getting hit on by Kouga, who I completely would have rejected if you didn't pull him away," she retorted.

"I get mad easily." She had mocked him, had intentionally said something that would obviously hurt his pride. "And that night you were pissing me off."

"You should really fix that short temper of yours," she said with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, maybe, but I really don't need you fixing me." He hated it when girls tried to do that. It was a classic move, they thought that they could 'fix' his problems and earn a place in his heart. That _never _worked. "Look, my point here is this, I'm not going to get her back. Kikyou's completely Suikotsu's and … and I need to get over that fact. So what I said wasn't true, alright? When I get angry, I say stupid shit."

It was such a relief to hear that, so much so that she actually felt a bit embarrassed by it. But when she spoke it could have easily been mistaken as nothing. As if it didn't matter in the least. "Fine."

"Now stay?" he questioned as he bent down to meet her gaze.

"Say please and I will," she replied with a smile, that only earned a dull glare from her.

"I ain't saying please," he grumbled.

"Then I'm not staying, besides, that guy can't get in here right?"

"His name's Naraku," Inuyasha said. "No, he can't."

"Then we have nothing to worry about," she replied with a wave of her head and started out the door. It wasn't until she was in the elevator that she took out the pair of earrings that she was wearing to replace them with the ones Inuyasha gave her.

A large smile on her face all the while.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you for the reviews. **Please continue to review**. Hope you are enjoying the story thus far._

_**Next Chapter**: **_Crazy Does as Crazy Sees_**_


	10. Message of Acceptance

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 10: Message of Acceptance<br>_**

A crescent moon shaped table was where a series of nearly flawless looking individuals sat, eight in total. All looking down at the four VPs and one all sat at the heightened desk that allowed them to look down on the others were a member of the chairmen board.

"It doesn't make sense," one spoke out, her midnight blue eyes scanned the rest. She slid her black hair with a blue shimmer to it behind her ears. "Why would this half-breed be so daring as to be outside our building just to try and talk to this Higurashi Kagome? Granted ,she is a shikon nymph - and we all know what that blood does to sups - but he already took the shikon. What use could she be?"

"Maybe he wants to devour her," another supposed, An imposing figure with muscles, a fine tan, and harsh expression seemingly etched into his psyche. His hair was black and a thin mustaches. He was Bishamonten. "We know that nymph flesh and blood can give other creatures, such as a demon, heightened power. That's a leading cause why they, just as their cousins the fairies, are extremely rare. It's outlawed now to eat one, but he obviously has no regard for our rules."

"Takamoru Inuyasha," the one on the far right with slicked back brown hair that reached below his ears. A mischievous smile grin upon his lips as he rested his chin in his hand. He moved his brows up and down before asking, "You're with this Higurashi Kagome, am I right? Is there anything about her that makes her special?"

"Bed room talk is irrelevant, Loki," declared the formal looking female next to him, wearing a lovely and old kimono.

"Aw, come on, Izanami," Loki pouted playfully. "I was just curious."

"I am a bit curious as well," the midnight blue eyed one admitted with a smile.

It was all Inuyasha could do to withhold himself. They were the chairmen and all gods, so he knew better than to try to start something with them. It was hardly out of character for Loki to act like that, but to hear the moon goddess Kaguya also want to hear about Kagome was curious. Not that he ever really heard her talking.

"Her sex life is irrelevant," the man from the day prior, Izanagi, with the well trimmed mustache and beard declared. "In less she has had one with Naraku -"

"Absolutely not," Inuyasha interrupted. He felt a kick to his shin from his father, who shot him a hard stare as well. Never interrupt a chairman when they spoke, and certainly not Izanagi.

"How certain of that are you?" Izanagi countered with harshly narrowed eyes.

"Positive, she would have mentioned it," Inuyasha said.

"This half-breed is only such a concern because he now possess a full shikon jewel. We need to kill him and destroy the jewel. We all know what horrors that thing can bring," Izanami declared. "If it were to fall into the wrong hands … particularly a human. We know how dumb they can be about such matters."

"We're working on it," Inutaisho assured her. "He made a mistake coming here. We can track him now."

"I hope you are right, Takamoru," she whispered back.

Shortly after, they were dismissed from the meeting. Inuyasha knew a lecture about his behavior was about to come so he rushed away and down the stairs to get back to his floor instead of waiting for the elevator with the rest of them. When he got to his door Myoga, stopped him.

"Miss Higurashi is waiting for you," he warned him. Inuyasha just nodded before he walked in to see Kagome sitting on his desk, eating the last bit of her apple before throwing it into a trash can. A grin slipped up his lips.

"Here for your lunch break?" he guessed as he walked around to sit down in his chair.

"Thought I'd come visit you," she answered with a smile.

"Great, because I was thinking that you owe me something," he said with a wave of his hand towards pants. Her brow bent in confusion.

"I only have twenty minutes left. I don't have time for sex and to fix my hair and makeup before going back down. Everyone will know that we did it," she countered with a wag of her finger. "You can wait until tonight."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a blowjob," he corrected her, earning a roll of her eyes in the process. "Hey, I gave you oral last night. It's only fair that you return the favor."

"I don't like doing it," she whined with a pout. It really wasn't enjoyable for her and to put her mouth around a penis … it just sounded awful and dirty in the not fun way. She had done it a couple times but never for her own enjoyment - and only ever for Inuyasha.

"You think I enjoy it?" he argued. "Of course not. I do it for your pleasure. No one likes giving oral - unless you have an oral _fixation_. I'd love that."

She frowned then as she looked up and down him. He had a point, it was only fair. She did love last night…. So she slid off the desk and kneeled down in front of him. Slowly, tenderly, she un-did his belt and started to part his pants. Before she could even really get started he heard the click of his door and pushed Kagome back a little so that he could slide into his desk enough that whoever it was couldn't tell that his pants were falling down.

"Shush," Inuyasha ordered to the peeved Kagome.

"Inuyasha," Kikyou, the one who entered, greeted before she stopped dead in her steps. "I know that your girlfriend is under the desk. I'm very good about sensing auras. I suppose I'm interrupting something?"

"You are," Inuyasha grumbled bitterly as he slid out, while zipping up his pants. Kagome crawled outfrom underneath the desk and get to her feet - embarrassed beyond belief. _Why_ did Kikyou always have to come in at the worst possible time? "What do you want, Kikyou?"

"I'll come back later," she said with a smile before she left.

"Did you tell her I was your girlfriend?" Kagome questioned as she brushed her knees off.

"No, she keeps saying that on her own."

"Well, I'm leaving." She grabbed her bag and began towards the door.

"Kagome! She's gone -!"

"I'm hardly going to try that again here. What if someone walks in on us again?" She left the room only to run into someone. At first the midnight blue eyes that were staring right at her. There was a harsh glare before the women seemed to realize who she was, and a subtle yet seductive smile slipped up her raspberry red lips.

"Higurashi Kagome," she stated with a step forward, their bodies almost pressed together. "What a pleasure to meet you."

"Um… hi," she supposed that was the right word - but all her focus was on the severe invasion of personal space. "And you are…?"

"Kaguya."

"Kaguya…?"

"Just Kaguya, mortals really are the only ones that like to deal with last names. Superanturals only took on them to blend in with humanity. I don't want to be like _mortals _in the least bit. Not when I'm above them - way above them. I'm the goddess of the moon, Kaguya," she explained then reached her hand out to take Kagome's. "I'm also a chairman - rather, woman - of this company."

"Th-That's nice," she stuttered, wanting to pull away but knowing that would be rude. And, after all, she was in the presence of a goddess. That was amazing to her. Those were the thoughts in her head, not the way that Kaguya lifted her hand to her lips but the prick she felt before her finger was inserted in the goddess's mouth. She gasped before she slid it out.

"Mm, I see," Kaguya whispered then looked up to Kagome's stunned hazels. "There's all this hype about what _is_ Higurashi Kagome exactly? I just wanted to end it all. Your blood tells me that you are a quarter shikon nymph, a quarter demon, and the rest is human heritage."

"So … that's a certain thing?"

"Certain," she stated and pulled Kagome against her. "Tou are very pretty for someone so mixed. And just from that taste I can tell how so many want to devour you. It's strange, usually when one is only part demon the demons hold it against them, but it seems that this time they are forgiving that fact. To have one with shikon blood _and_ demon blood mixed is enough to overlook the fact that you have human in you. After all, people are automatically inclined to like someone with shikon blood in them. Also, infatuated. There is just something about your smell," she stopped to sniff her scent, "and then the way your aura is … it's alluring. It can drive some people crazy. Maybe that's why that half-breed won't leave you alone."

"Maybe," she muttered, leaning her head away from Kaguya. "I … I need to go to work."

"Of course," she whispered back as she pulled away. While she walked away she sang, "I will see you again soon, Ka-go-me."

**.oooOoOooo.**

"So…" Inuyasha said as he swiveled in his chair some. His stare stuck on her while she slid from his desk into his lap. "Kaguya hit on you?"

"It seemed like it," she answered with a frown. "But she did confirm the whole… you know."

"Demon blood, Kagome, you can say it," Inuyasha said. "You don't like that, do you? You wish you didn't, am I right?"

"It's just…" Yes was the right word but she couldn't say it. She couldn't tell him that that was the truth, because she knew that he would think it an insult. She just really didn't want to be part demon. It only made everything more complicated - it confirmed that her dad wasn't her dad after all.

"You won't get treated badly by demons," Inuyasha promised to weakly gain her gaze back to his. "Because of the nymph blood, what Kaguya said is true. It's being mixed with just human blood that everyone hates…"

"Let's just not think about any of that stuff right now," she requested before she leaned in to press her lips to his. Their lips parted together to mesh, a suck there, a tug there, and a small nibble every once and a while - all the while she gently grinded him and pressed her body against his. He wasn't completely useless, he grabbed her hips and yanked her closer to him while he trailed his lips down her cheek, across her jaw line, and down her neck. She tilted her head to the side to give him full access.

One of his hands slid up her side to under her shirt and up to cup one of her breasts, moving it around in circular motion to gain a pleasant peep from her. Her hands slid down to his belt to undo it and work her way into his pants to grab him.

Sweet feelings began to stir within each of them, a riling, building, yearning, desire to screw each other. Even though they were together the night before it wasn't enough. Even though she was brilliant in bed, he still never received the full release he had been looking for.

He groaned bitterly as he pushed her away and removed his hand from under her shirt.

"What?" she questioned but the sound of the door opening up behind her answered that.

"Go _away_," Inuyasha ordered to stare holes in the two that had just entered his room. Kagome had to turn around on his lap to see it was Sesshomaru and Kikyou.

"We need to settle a couple of matters before we all leave. Why don't you send your toy out and we can finish our work?" Sesshomaru ordered then he wiggled a file.

"It won't take more than five minutes," Kikyou assured as she gave a quick smile to Kagome. "We're sorry about coming in unannounced. Sesshomaru simply wouldn't wait like Myoga had requested."

"Myoga fucking sucks," Inuyasha muttered so quietly that Kagome was sure she was the only one that heard him. It was, after all, the second time in one day they were interrupted. "Just wait outside for me, I'll take you home."

She nodded before she exited to sit at one of the seats outside his door.

"Mr. Takamoru is very mad, isn't he?" Myoga questioned with a quiver. "He said not to allow anyone in but… the other Mr. Takamoru doesn't listen."

"He's mad," Kagome confirmed and she was more than just a bit as well. It was the _second_ time that day someone had walked in on them. She was already aroused, already ready to go, and then someone just had to waltz right in and ruin the moment. It didn't help that it was Hayashi Kikyou each time.

Her eyes fixated on the clock on the wall beside Myoga to watch as it ticked away. Her eyes followed the second hand as it quickly moved around the circle. To her, though, it seemed to move slower than anything else. Until the door opened up and Kikyou and Sesshomaru left first. Inuyasha wasn't far behind them, the first thing he did was smack Myoga upside the head before he grabbed Kagome's hand to lead her to the elevators.

It was awkward for her, but they rode the same one as his brother and former lover all the way to the lobby and even walked close behind them to the parking garage. It didn't surprise her that Sesshomaru's parking space was right beside Inuyasha's. They shared a hard glare before they got into their car. It took only seconds for Sesshomaru to pull his Lexus out to drive away.

Inuyasha would have followed him shortly, if not for the fact that Kagome grabbed his tie and yanked him to her so that their lips could clash together. Her tongue pried his mouth apart so that it could move under it, then taunting to the roof of his mouth.

She moved over to be on his lap without breaking their lips apart, though it was highly uncomfortable to have her back pressed against the wheel.

"Lean your chair back," she ordered when she broke away to push her hair out of her face and unbutton her shirt.

"Kagome, I -"

"Just do it," she demanded. And how could he say no? There wasn't enough space for his two seat car to lean all the way back but enough that Kagome did not have to feel the steering wheel in her back. She rested her knees against either side of his thighs so she could lift herself up and begin to undo his pants once more. "Take them off."

"You are so demanding," he taunted with a grin as he did just as she requested to let them fall to his ankle. He hiked her skirt up to pull down her panties so they weren't a problem.

"Condom?" she questioned.

"You're on birth control, that shot form, right?" he countered with a bent brow.

"Yeah … but what about STD -"

"I do not have one of those," he snapped. "You better not."

"Of course I don't," she asserted harshly.

"You're killing the mood here, Kagome," he warned. She just narrowed her eyes on him before undoing her bra so that he could see her full exposed. Surely that was enough to gain his attention back to the act at hand. And it was.

His hands slid up her hips to take one each in hand, molding them, taunting her pink numbs with his thumbs, then he leaned forward to press his lips to her collar bone, working his way up to the nape of her neck.

"Inuyasha," she murmured sweetly. She started to grind against him, quickly, roughly, as he nibbled on her neck. Winning gasps of approval from her.

"Get on me already," Inuyasha ordered impatiently, so she placed her lips upon his to shut him up. But she did finally grab his length and situate it so that she could slide on. Both let a minute moan out into each others' mouth, giving each sweet vibrations. Slowly she started to buck him, moving them back and forth to feel him in her.

He raised his hips harshly to meet hers, gaining a moan from hers. But she wasn't about to let him gain dominance, particularly when he was the one on below her, so she quickened her pace and moved a hand down his shirt to start to grab the end of his length and began to massage him while still keeping her pace. Then their lips clashed together, her teeth tugged at the bottom of his lips.

His eyes were opened the whole while, examining every bit of her body as she moved on him - feeling the great added sensation of her hand's movement. And the way her breasts bounced in front of him with each and every jerk. It slowly started to become too much tolerate but he just couldn't meet his climax first - she had. She _always _did and he wasn't about to lose that power.

So he jerked up to meet her thrust, gaining a cry from her as she met her heaven. He followed shortly after.

Getting perfect pleasure knowing he got to spill inside of her for once.

"Gods," Inuyasha sighed when it was all over, letting her collapse on top of him. "I hate having sex in my car."

"Why?" she grumbled with a quick glance up to him. "That's really no way to thank me, Inuyasha."

"That's not the point. Now if we end poorly, each time I get into my car," his little sanctuary away from the world, "I could think about this and it'd suck."

"Then let's just not end poorly," she suggested.

If only things were so easily.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Gods, it was so relaxing, such a brilliant feeling, to have the warm water swirl around her. A grand smile was plastered across her face with her eyes shut as she sank deeper into the water to feel it up to her neck, her black tresses floated around her. Then her perfect little world was shattered when a hand ventured up her stomach to grasp one of her breasts.

"Inuyasha," she sighed. She opened her eyes to look up at the man she sat against in the water. He had a playful smile upon his face.

"You like my jacuzzi?" he guessed while his gaze shifted around his bathroom. It wasn't the first time she was in that room, obviously, but almost always because of the fact that they were in the shower together - or alone, she did prefer that.

"Showering together always sounds like a better idea before we actually do it," Kagome had told him just a couple days ago. "I mean, there comes a time when a girl just needs to clean her own hair."

He agreed. There were certain things that a person would rather do alone in a shower and fucking in there was always a challenge. So when she suggested actually using the jacuzzi - which he almost never did - he gave in. She deeply enjoyed the experience.

"Stop groping my boobs," Kagome requested when she felt another squeeze.

"No," he murmured back as he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm horny."

"You're always horny," she replied.

"When you're naked, of course." It was only reasonable in his opinion. "We've only had sex three times."

"_Since_ we got back to the apartment," she countered as she looked up at him. "Four times tonight."

"I could go another round."

"You could always go another round," she said as she wrapped her arms around his.

"Hey, by the way, I think we figured out why you didn't smell like a demon before the assault -"

"Inuyasha, I don't want to talk about it." The very last thing she wanted to do was think about the whole 'demon blood' matter. She'd rather it not be true in the least bit.

"Just listen, the shikon probably purified your blood. Once it was taken out, your blood started to change, into what it originally would have been at birth," he explained as he grabbed her chest again only to feel her pitch his hands. "Ouch, wench."

"Jerk," she muttered back. "I just want to relax, stop trying to have sex with me."

"What's the point of you if I can't have sex?"

All he felt was a jab in his gut with her elbow for that one.

**.oooOoOooo.**

The weekend arrived and she finally had time to spend with her friends once more. Houjo, Kohaku, Shippou, Ayame, and her all decided to go to the weekly market to see if there was anything worth buying and just to see each other. Most of the time, if she wasn't at her internship, she was at Inuyasha's and if she wasn't there then he was at hers. Though, that hadn't happened in a while since he hated how 'small' her bed was.

All the same, her friends had told her how they missed spending time with her. Particularly Ayame, who was growing to dislike Inuyasha more and more with each passing day. She could understand that, if a guy was slowly reducing the time they spent together it would be annoying. Really annoying.

But she pushed all those thoughts to the side as they laughed and talked through the crowded Saturday market, stopping to gawk a stand every once and a while, to try out the products, and every once and a while buy something before they continued on. Kagome had stopped at one in particular, for no other reason than the jewelry was pretty, while her friends proceeded without her. They weren't out of sight, so she didn't think anything of it.

Until someone walked up to her, fanning herself with a rather expensive looking fan. Her crimson eyed watch caught Kagome's attention fully. They were so similar … just like _that_ man. She swallowed before she heard her words.

"I have a message from Naraku," she simply stated as her eyes locked with Kagome's shocked hazels. "He says, 'I will get you back, no matter who tries to get in the way.'"

"Wh … what?" Kagome stuttered.

"You heard me," the women said before she faded away in the crowd.

The first thing she did was pull out her phone to call Inuyasha, but there was no answer - not once in the three times in a row that she called him. She gave a lame excuse to her friends for bailing on them, but before she could go where she was planning she ran right into someone and a pair of arms clasped around her.

At first she panicked, then she realized it was just a human boy - just weird Hiro.

"Hey, Kagome!" He greeted. "How's it going? Funny running into you here."

"Y-yeah," she said as she tried to push away from him and out of his arms but he didn't let her budge. "Hiro, I was just on my way out. I have to go back to work."

"On Sunday?" he frowned. "Do you really have to?"

"Yes."

"To see that boyfriend of yours?"

"Yes, to see him," she asserted as she pried herself free of him.

"Gods, I wish … that he was just out of the way. He obviously doesn't treat you well if he lets you wander around on your own like this."

"I'm a grown women," she snapped back. "I can take care of myself, now goodbye, Hiro."

She pushed by him to run to the open street and grabbed the first taxi she could hail to go to Gami, Inc. Maybe Inuyasha wouldn't be there on the weekend, but she figured someone would. They were still looking for Naraku … weren't they?

The mystery women's words replayed in her head. It was like … he thought he once had her. But he hadn't. Right? Unless he considered the attempted murder as 'having' her. She shivered at that thought as she gave the taxi driver money and rushed out of the car and into Gami. The only place she ever felt really safe anymore.

Well, that and Inuyasha's. Or, really, anywhere he was - his place, hers, anywhere, as long as he was by her side.

When she got to the right floor, she knew right away Inuyasha wasn't there since Myoga was absent and the lights under his door were gone. She frowned before she bit her lips, where to go then? The only thing she could think to do was pull out her phone and try Inuyasha again, but before she could press send she turned around to walk somewhere else only to almost run into someone.

"Miss Higurashi," she knew the voice and when she slowly looked up from her phone to see Inutaisho she wasn't surprised. "What are you doing here on a fine summer Sunday?"

"I … I just ran into someone at the market that … that had a message for me from Naraku. I thought I should tell someone here."

His brows bent together. He motioned for her to follow him to his office - which she quickly noted was twice the size of Inuyasha's. "Tell me everything this person said. It wasn't him, right?"

She shook her head. "It was a women with the same eyes as his."

"Red?"

"Yes, red," she confirmed. "She said Naraku wanted me to know that … that he'd get me back. No matter who tried to get in the way. Why would he say that?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Inutaisho said, which did nothing to help the frayed girl's nerves. "I don't understand your importance to him after all of this … he took your shikon, I don't know why he'd still want you. I need to call a meeting of the chairmen. It'll take a while for them all to get here, can you wait? I'd like them to hear about this as well."

She just nodded as she grasped one of the seats to pull out and sit down in. Her eyes on the phone she held in her hands so tightly. Just hoping that Inuyasha would call her back already … but he didn't.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was more than a little intimidating standing in front of the eight gods that consisted of the chairmen - and women, of course. As soon as she was finished explaining everything, every aspect of the women she could remember, and the message, they broke away to talk amongst themselves along with the other people in the room. She wasn't sure who all of them where, but there were plenty and she guessed they were security and high ups in the company. She did see two of the VPs, her hazels shifted around in hopes that she'd find Inuyasha there.

Instead, she saw Kouga walk up to her, she withheld the urge to groan - dealing with him was the last thing she wanted to deal with that day.

"Hey, babe. Sorry to hear about your rough day. If you need someone to talk to I'm here, a'right?"

"Why would she want to do that?" she heard from behind her, relief flooded her from the sound of his handsome gruff voice - with a tinge of annoyance. Inuyasha was surely standing right behind her. She didn't even have to look to know that a his gaze was harshly fixated on Kouga.

"Look, babe," Kouga began. He took another step closer to her, letting his eyes meet with hers. "Let me explain something to you. I know you don't understand the way sup matters work, but you should know that associating yourself with a … half-breed makes almost everyone in this room thinks less of you." He paused there to look around, her hazels followed to see all the people in the room had gathered into groups to discuss what to do next. Then her eyes returned to his.

"Is that so?" Kagome said.

"They think that way because half-breeds like him _are_ less," he stated firmly.

"Oh?"

"Uh-huh, it's alright. We know you don't really grasp everything yet. You just now entered our world. I didn't get all this stuff at first, either, but I'm more than willing to explain these things to you. I'm a full blooded werewolf, by the way," he said with a wink.

"Would you now?"

All the while, Inuyasha just silently watched as Kagome nodded along and replied to his comments. It was nothing new, he had heard it all before, and he was aware that Kagome didn't understand any of that or else … she might not want to fuck around with him anymore. Still, it shouldn't have mattered to him that she seemed to slowly be understanding. Her last words sparked a pang in his chest. Did she want Kouga to explain everything to her…?

He really didn't want her to ever comprehend those things.

"I'm a quarter demon, apparently," she reminded Kouga. "Shouldn't that make me less by that logic…?"

"No, babe, because you have shikon blood in ya' and that's such a rarity. Besides, it helps that you're so sexy." He meant it as a compliment, she was sure, but she only had to reframe from a shiver. "So what do you say, babe?"

Instead of answering that with words, she turned around and pulled Inuyasha into a kiss, which stunned the half-breed just as much as the rest of the room that fell oddly quiet. Whatever multiple discussions were going on at first were hushed. When she pulled away she looked into Inuyasha's startled stare for a long moment before turning her attention back to Kouga.

"I say," Kagome started, "that if you really are so small minded I'd rather not talk to you again. Inuyasha might be half-breed but he's still a _fully_ better man than you are. I'm guessing I'm not needed here anymore?" She looked around until she saw Inutaisho who nodded in agreement to that statement, but his eyes were fixated on his oddly quiet son instead of her.

"You may leave for the day. Inuyasha take her home," Inutaisho finally said.

His son only then snapped out of it enough to nod and lead her out of the crowded room and to the elevator. Both were silent as they road down. At first, they were going to take it all the way, but then he reached his hand out to press his floor, which was a far shorter journey. He couldn't restrain himself all the way to the parking lot. He grabbed Kagome's hand and led her, quickly, to his office, locking the door behind them before he pinned Kagome to it.

She didn't get to say whatever she wanted before he parted her lips to. His lips collided with hers for a passionate mingling, tongue, and body as he knelt down slightly to grab her thighs then lift her off the floor so she could wrap her arms and legs around him.

Then he pulled away. "You don't understand what you just did."

No, she didn't, she hadn't even thought about it. Still, she was confused as she looked into his eyes - not sure what she was seeing in return. "Did I embarrass you…? If so, I'm sorry. I didn't think about that. I was just so angry with Kouga and the way he was talking about you -"

"Me embarrassed of you?" Inuyasha inquired, stunned yet again. "No."

It was the other way around, _she_ should be embarrassed of _him_. And yet … she thought he might be of her? He hated the feelings - the _great _warm one - that her question sparked within him. He hated how attached he'd become to the twenty-one year old women. He hated how crazy he was about her all of a sudden.

"Kagome ... half-breeds are thought of as lesser than actual demons, that's just a fact, so by being with me you are, too." He slowly explained, curious to see if that would finally get through her thick skull.

"That's just stupid and racist. If those people think less of me just because of that then I have no respect for them. I don't care what they think of me then." She readjusted her arms around his neck.

"Do you respect me?"

She smiled. "A whole lot."

With that, he kissed her again, prying her lips open for him, pressing against her to feel her warmth through her panties. She was wearing a jean skirt and a pink shirt that day, obviously she hadn't thought that she'd end up back at Gami and he was in a pair of jeans as well. It was his day off, if not for the call he got from his dad on his land line he wouldn't have bothered to go in. He hadn't even noticed until he got into his car and began to charge his dead cell that he had missed three calls from Kagome.

It infuriated him Naraku thought that he could take Kagome as his - or whatever it was that he wanted. Obviously, she wasn't up for grabs, _he_ had her and _he_ wasn't going to let Naraku near her ever again.

"Give me your right hand," she said once they parted for air.

"I'm holding you up," he said as he squeezed her ass to remind her.

"I trust you not to let me fall," she said with another smile. She ran her hand down his face lightly. Cautiously, he rearranged it so that his body was keeping her pinned up and one arm below her as he wiggled his right hand free to hand it to her. He was curious as to what she was up to, but the moment she got it she began to suck on his ring finger - enchanting him instantly.

He felt himself falter at that, almost letting his grip on her slip. He felt his jeans far too restraining in that moment.

"Kagome," he muttered. The next thing he knew, she was slipping his ring off so his real features could be seen. "Hey, give that back!"

"No." She raised her arm high up so that he couldn't reach it without dropping her. She half expected him to do just that, but he didn't - and for that she was grateful.

"Kagome," he growled. "Give me my ring back."

"Why? It's just you and me in here. It's not like you need to look human," she said. She let her free hand run through his silver strands as her hazels took in the sight before her. This time she wouldn't react poorly, she promised herself that. "You have really pretty eyes. They are like the color of the sun." She cupped his cheek. "Kiss me."

She didn't have to ask him twice, his lips were on hers in a split second. He placed his right arm around her to keep her pressed tightly against him. If she was fine with him like that then … he wouldn't argue. He preferred his true form, but he was rarely given the right to be in it. It wasn't just the humans he had to hide from - being in his other from hid the apparent fact that he was a half-breed, too.

His damned ears gave it away every time…

"Kagome," he gasped. He rested his forehead against her chest, trying his best to keep his mind from being too fluttered. "I really want you right now."

Her answer was simple, and gave him great pleasure. "Then take me."

A deep throated growl of approval left him as he began to move one of his hands up her bear thigh to under her skirt, but then something caught both their attention - her phone rang. If it was any other ring tone she probably would have ignored it, but that one signified one person: her mom. And the thought of her really killed the mood for her.

So she answered it, much against Inuyasha's will. He didn't budge at all to make it easier for her to pull it out of her pocket. It was a very short conversation, all she wanted to know was if she'd be coming over for dinner. Kagome assured her she would. Which meant … she'd have to leave Gami then to get there on time.

Inuyasha was furious to hear that. "Don't go now. I want you."

"You can have me, tonight," she said. "Alright? I'll come to yours."

"I want you now," he protested.

She just rolled her eyes at that as he let her slip down so she could stand on her own. She took his right hand then to slid it on him. Changing him back to the sight she was use to.

"You sound like a five-year-old, you can wait," she said.

"I hate your mom right now," Inuyasha muttered resentfully.

"I'm not her biggest fan these days, either," she mumbled back.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you so much for all the reviews, again! It's so awesome. Here's another update to show my thanks :)_

_Just as a side note, I know I said next chapter would be the Crazy Does as Crazy Sees thing but I changed things around so it would make more sense for the next chapter._

_Also, in three days I'll be leaving to work in another country for four months, then another after that one. Obviously, I will be very busy adjusting to the changes such a move will bring so I will not have time to update as regularly. I don't know when I'll update next, I'd like to say within a week, but I can't be a hundred percent sure. I need to focus more on adjusting than writing, for obvious reasons. I hope to update soon, and once I am better situated I will return to updating regularly.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter:**Crazy Does as Crazy Sees_


	11. Crazy Does as Crazy Sees

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 11: Crazy Does as Crazy Sees<em>**

Kagome ran out of her house as soon as dinner was over - hurriedly yelling a _'thank you_' to her mother. She wasn't sure how to deal with sitting across the table from her mother during supper. What was she to say? When all her mind was begging her to ask about her mom why she lied about when she got married and who her father was. She wanted to know so badly but … but she loved her mother and she knew that accusing her of that would hurt her.

She was her mother so she probably had a very good reason for lying, right? She would only do it to protect her … that had to be it. Still, she found it so hard. Hr thoughts were constantly switching back to the session her mother's phone call had interrupted. It wasn't the safest idea, but she hopped onto the first train that led to Inuyasha's. It took fifteen minutes. As soon as she got to Inuyasha's, she was let up.

He took her right away, once on the sofa, once up against the wall on their journey to his bedroom then again on the bed. The very thought earned a smile as she bit her lip and looked over the man that had passed out a while ago. He slept so silently, peacefully, right beside her. His face was turned towards her, his lips lightly parted, his ivory Egyptian cotton sheets hung around his waist. His honey-gold colored comforter was almost about to fall off the bed.

She hugged the decorative honey-gold pillow that she was resting against. For a while, she had fallen asleep but not for too long. Her eyes slowly shifted over him until she saw his right hand which was near her. His silver ring with black symbols kept him looking human even in his sleep. Did he sleep with it on all the time? Or was it just because she was spending the night?

Did he feel better without it…?

Her fingers glided across the soft sheets until they were on his hand. He didn't budge, so she grabbed his ring and started to slide it off until it was all the way in her clenched hand. His features changed. His short jet black hair shifted to long silver strands. She could see a fang or two in his mouth, and those razor sharp claws. _Those_ would be problematic in some sexual situations.

His triangular silver doggy ears were really cute. She reached out to tweak the one closest to her. Reflexively, he smacked her for that which sparked a yelp from her as she grabbed the spot. Her complaint got him to open his eyes briefly before he turned around in bed so his back was to her.

"Inuyasha!"

"I was sleeping, can't help what I do when I'm unconscious. Don't _ever_ tweak my-"

He tensed up before he reached up to feel his ears. They were … he sat up straight and turned to stare a hole through the still pissed off Kagome. "Where's my ring, Kagome?" Inuyasha growled with ground teeth.

She narrowed her eyes on him. He reached out and wiggled his way into her clutched hand to get his ring back and slide it back on.

"Don't touch me again while I'm sleeping." He plopped down with his back to her to shut his eyes and try to sleep once more. Instead of getting to slumber, he felt her breasts against his back before she reached over to grab his hand again. "Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!" She countered as she tried to grab at his hand, which he just extended out of her reach, trying to wiggle her off of him. "Stop! Why are you acting like this?"

"Why did you wake me up!" he snapped back. "I want to sleep, Kagome. Leave me alone."

"Do you usually sleep with your ring on or are you doing that because you think I want it on?"

That stopped him briefly as he looked over his shoulder at her. "What are you saying, Kagome?"

"I'm saying I want that off."

"Why?"

"'Cause I said so."

"… Why?"

"Inuyasha, take it off," she said slowly, giving ample space between each word.

He obeyed and slid it off so that she could take it and look over it. Inside she saw that there was something inscribed, but in scribbles that didn't make any sense to her. She lied on her back then to look it over some more. He propped himself up on an elbow to watch her.

"Come here," she requested. She dropped the ring on the bed beside her and wiggled her fingers for him. He moved close enough that he was hovering over her. Her eyes began to examine almost every part of him before it ended up on the golden gaze that was watching her so intently. Those eyes were far more attractive than the fake auburn ones she was use to staring into.

"These could be a problem," she whispered as her hand moved to touch his delicately.

"Maybe," he muttered back. His gaze was glued to her hand as it slipped up his arm to caress his cheek then run a hand through his hair.

"You have more hair than I do," she teased. Her hand was on his bare chest and eyes wandering down his body. "Does it all change silver? Down there, too?"

"Is that important?" he gripped.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted the first time I saw you like this."

"I knew that was how it'd be." She placed her hand upon his neck to bring his lips down to meet hers. It took little touch from either for their bodies to start to throb with sheer pleasure, his began to rock against hers while his hand slid down her soft stomach to her moist slits that he rubbed tenderly to prove to her his claws wouldn't be a problem at all. Their lips parted so he could make his way down her cheek, to her jaw line, and finally to her neck - letting his fang teeth tease her skin delicately.

His tongue trailed his path to taste her sweet yet salty skin, he felt a coiled delight when he heard her moan, moving her hips closer to his touch to beg him to do more - to go deeper, to go _quicker_. He could oblige her by thrusting his middle finger to begin to pump in and out of her to win a grand gasp. Kagome's tongue trailed along her lips while she tried her utmost not to squirm too much. Bit by bit she was traveling up the seductive course towards ultimate fulfillment and her lover knew it. Her mind began to fall into a haze while her body danced sensuously with his movements, arousing him all the more.

Her damp folds were more than ready for him, so he spread her legs more before plunging in. She wrapped her legs around his waist to pull her deeper into her tightness. Penetration just wasn't going to cut it, so he bent down to take one of her perky breasts into his mouth to tongue her erected nipples - gaining another high pitch, deep, yet short moan from her parted lips.

Gods, it felt _so _good to her.

Feeling her heated core around him, being _inside _her, while beating into sweet spots that made her scream for him was brilliant - just like every other time - but to get to finally do it in his true form only made it feel so much better for him.

"Gods, Kagome, does that," a groan broke his taunting before he found the power to continue, "feel good?"

All she could manage was a feverish nod.

"Say it," he ordered as he hit her deeper, harder, right in one of her favorite spots - sparking a silent scream of delight. "_Kagome_, say it."

"Y-yes!" she shouted back. Everything was factoring towards it - her inner muscles began to clamp around his hard length, the force of his thrusts, their matching rhythm that was sizzling their senses.

She threw her arms around his neck to pull his chest against hers so she could jerk him to the side - he knew what that meant, and he willingly allowed her to take the top. She almost slid out of him in the process of the change but as soon as she was the one on her knees and him on his back she thrust back down on him. It was gradually becoming too much for him to comprehend - to deal with.

Her beautiful black hair in disarray from so many encounters already that night.

The way her body glistened from sweat and the city lights that lit up the room.

Her brown bedroom eyes, the way she looked down at him through fluttering eye lids.

The way she grinded against him so perfectly, as if she had already learned exactly how he loved it.

And she had…

His end was nearing, and so was hers from the way her movements faltered into a sudden rough jerks. Neither were complaining, each were eager to feel that blinding bliss but they didn't want it to end either. They loved each feeling, each second of each fuck.

When his hand grasped her ass to yank her against him more she placed her hands on his chest so she wouldn't fall over.

"N-no one," she moaned as she slid her hands up him to rest her hands on either side of his head to look perfectly into his greatly golden eyes. "No one feels so good as…" _You_, Inuyasha knew that was what she was trying to say. He did love it when she threw out compliments in the heat of the moment.

He filled her. He was so big, and she _loved_ that.

He aided towards their final decent to ecstasy by moving his hips upward to met her thrusts.

She cried out when she finally reached her orgasm, it took a couple of guided jerks for him to reach his own climax. He let her fall off of him to lie down next to him, her chest moving up and down as she tried to catch her breath, one hand wandering down her stomach while the other rested on her forehead.

It was the first time she allowed him to feel his own orgasm in his _real_ form, and for that he was truly thankful.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Her hands clasped the sheets as she let out a, "_Ahhh_!" While she felt his hand grope at her breasts, his body rocking gently against her behind, sliding in and then almost all the way out only to smack into her again. As soon as they woke up that more they just started all over again, disregarding what it meant when their alarm clocks when off.

Through fluttered eye lids, she looked at the clock on his night stand, not registering at first what it meant until … it did.

"Inuyasha!"

At first, he thought it was just out of pleasure that she called out his name, and help that she locked her hands around one of his.

"Uh!" she cried right before she felt her climax, the way she clasped around him to milk him.

"Why'd you start that?" she whined once she gain her senses back enough to get up and smack his arm. She slid off his bed to run into his bathroom and start his shower. She grabbed one of her hair bands from her purse to put her hair up in a bun - she didn't have time to dry it.

"What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha grumbled while he watched her lazily from his bed.

"We're going to be late!"

"To work?"

"Yes!" Was the last thing he heard before she was in the shower to quickly wash off. He reluctantly got up to do the same, but she rejected his attempt to touch her - apparently fucking was off the table then. She was out of the shower before he was. It didn't take him long before he grabbed a towel to wrap it around his waist and walk out to see Kagome in her lingerie - black lacy ones.

"I came straight from my mom's house. I didn't have my to go bag," Kagome complained as she jumped up and down a bit. "I don't have any clothes. Can you take me back to my apartment-?"

"If you are worried about being late that won't help, your apartment is further than Gami and in the opposite direction. There's a little boutique in the lobby that you can buy some clothes at."

"I guess," she grumbled.

"Hey," he started with a perked brow as he looked around his night stand. "Where's my ring?"

The very last thing he could do was go outside looking like a half-breed. He couldn't deal with being screamed at for being a monster or freak when it was unnecessary. But the more he looked the less he saw.

"Erm," she muttered while her eyes shifted around the room. "I put it on the bed…"

"Damn it, then it could have ended up anywhere," he said. He yanked the sheets off his bed in hopes of hearing a ping from the metal band. He glanced over to see Kagome kneel down and began to look around on the ground on her hands and knees to try and find the item - it wasn't intentional, he knew, but it became aroused by the sight of her rummaging around in just her bra and panties none the less.

When she bounced up to proclaim she found it, he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and yanking her into a kiss. Her arms draped around his neck. The next thing she knew her back was against the bed again and his hand ready to yank the panties off.

"No!" She shouted as she smacked his shoulders. "I've never been late before!"

"Even if we leave right now you're gonna be late," Inuyasha insisted. "Let's just not go to work today. I'm ready to fuck you all day."

"I'll come to you at lunch today," she countered. She felt his hand slip down below to inside her panties.

"You'll _come_ to be alright," he grinned only to feel another smack upside his head and yank of his doggy ears which killed the mood for him. "Fucking hell, Kagome!"

"I can't be late, let's go!" She threw on her jean skirt and shirt from the day before then grabbed her purse and waved for him to follow. He just found a pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt to throw on before sliding on his ring and grabbing a tie and suit jacket to follow her out of his apartment. He lingered in the lobby for about ten minutes before he saw her go up to the counter in the boutique before she could pull out her wallet to pay for the outfit she had picked up he intervened.

"Just put it on my tab," Inuyasha requested.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began but he just lifted a hand to silence her. The cashier was quick to recognize him and do just as he requested. Without further hindrance, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand to get him to take her to his car. While he drove she changed from her jean skirt to a red fitted knee high skirt and take off her top to put on a red cami and a white blouse then buttoned it up. It was then that she realized her hair was still in a loose bun.

It was hard for Inuyasha to keep his eyes on the road as she undressed beside him. He had to note it took talent to be able to change a complete outfit like that in the passenger seat. Once they were getting out of the chair she was redoing her hair to hold it up in a tight pony-tail. She slid on her flip flops that she had been wearing and waved goodbye to him before running into the building to catch the first elevator she could.

Once she finally sat down at her desk it was only fifteen minutes passed eight. She wasn't too late.

"Late," Ayame sang with a taunting smile. "And in flip flops?"

"You keep a spare pair of heels in your bottom drawer, right?" Kagome slid them off and under her desk. Without having to be asked further, Ayame pulled out her black open-toed shoes to hand over to her friend. "Thanks, you're a life saver, Ayame."

**.oooOoOooo.**

As promised, she'd spend lunch in Inuyasha's office letting him relieve himself from the festered sexual tension from that morning. Really, it amazed her how often he wanted it and frustrated her a bit. She was just an intern. She had to pull more than just her weight around Gami and yet he didn't take that into consideration at all that morning. All he wanted was sex, sex, and more sex. But that pretty much summarized their relationship when she stopped to think about it...

A faint popping noise could be heard by her, but Ayame seemed to become more alert by the noise than she. Her roommate's brows bent together as she looked around. A few others seemed to have a worried look on their face as well before another faint pop could be heard.

The alarm went off to evacuate the building. Ayame took Kagome's hand to lead her down the stairs.

"What was that?" asked Kagome.

"I … I'm not sure but," she said. She turned her emerald stare up to her roommate. "But it sounded like a gun shot. I've never heard one other than on TV but…"

"It didn't sound like that to me."

"Of course not, you're hearing isn't nearly as good as mine. It was at least a couple floors up." It took them all gathering outside, gossiping and whispering amongst themselves, to finally find out what had occurred. At least, what the rumor was.

"Someone got into Gami with a gun, a human," Kohaku explained as he stepped closer to the group of interns.

"Why?" Kaede questioned. Her arms wrapped around herself as her chocolate stare shifted between her friends and the building. "I heard it was on the VP's floor … I haven't seen my sister. I'm worried."

"It was," Kohaku said before his eyes shifted to Shippou, begging him to fill in the end of what the guard's had just told them.

He swallowed before his green gaze shifted to Kagome. "Um … one of the Takamoru brother's got shot. I'm not sure how bad -"

"What?" she gasped, clenching his shirt to pull him closer. "Which one? Was it Inuyasha?"

"I … I don't know. I just know it was one of them -"

"Kagome, I'm so sorry," Ayame whispered. She placed her hands on her friend's shoulders. Her eyes fixated on the way she was going to react. It was no surprise that shock seemed to stick her face in one expression for a prolonged period of time before … she swallowed and lifted her hands to cover her mouth. Blinking away the sting in her eyes frantically.

It was just too much to bear - to think that Inuyasha might have gotten shot, might have been … no. If the Takamoru brother had been killed they would have mentioned something, right? Someone would know if a VP was dead but … but, she just tried to take deep breaths in. It might not be him … she prayed it wasn't. She held nothing against Sesshomaru, but if one had to be shot she wanted it to be him instead of her Inuyasha.

A few blinks later and she was certain that tears were about to break through and drip down her reddened cheeks.

"Kikyou!" she heard Kaede shout before she rushed off to hug her sister.

Kohaku rushed to Sango as soon as he saw her, for that she did pry her eyes off the ground to see that she was standing right by Miroku who was holding her and Mio - who spent her time in the kiddy day-care whenever both her parents were working. Briefly, that warmed her heart. Then she looked about to see that still … there was no sign of any of the Takamorus. Shippou was the next one gone, apparently rushing up to his dad who worked there as well.

Somewhere along the way, the police had shown up to corridor the building off. In that entire time she was in a daze, a painful one, one that sowed worry so deeply in her soul that she forgot what it felt like to feel normal. If it was dragged on any longer she wouldn't be able to breathe…

"Kagome," Ayame whispered to earn her weak, watery, gaze. Ayame nodded forward to get her to look forward and see the one she yearned to the most at the edge of the barricade. His hardened auburn gaze fixated forward.

She took a deep breath in before she ran over to him, calling out his name just in time to catch his attention before her arms were thrown around his neck to pull him into a tight hug. Her head pressed against his shoulder and she shut her eyes to keep the tears of relief from leaking free. But her breath was erratic enough, mixed with the smell of dried and fresh salt in the air, that he _knew_ she had been crying.

"Kagome," he said, wrapping an arm loosely around her waist. "You alright? I saw you over there with your friends -"

"If you saw me why didn't you come to tell me you were alright?" she snapped without looking up at him, with a weak slap against his chest. "Gods, I was so worried! I thought something … something … might have happened to you … I was so scared."

"Kagome, are you crying … for me?"

"I'm not crying," she muttered back, yearning to force her voice to sound steady yet failing. For that, he wrapped his other arm around her to hold her tight. "I-I-I … heard a Takamoru brother got shot. I…"

"Thought it was me?" he guessed as he nuzzled his noise in her hair. "Sesshomaru got shot in the arm. He'll be fine in a week or two. He's a full-blood, so he'll heal quicker."

"Why'd someone shoot him?" She pulled away just enough to look up at him. One of his hands slid up her back until he removed it to rub her cheek to get rid of the dried tears.

"Don't feel bad about this, alright?"

"Why…?" she murmured with a lifted brow. "What happened, Inuyasha?"

"That," he paused briefly as his eyes shifted around the scene then back to hers. "That kid from earlier, that college boy that's got a thing for you -"

"Hiro?"

"Yeah, him. He got a gun and figured that Sesshomaru was the Takamoru you were with."

"What?" she gasped. If it weren't for the fact that Inuyasha was still holding her she would have stepped away from him completely. "Hiro … _how_? How did he get a gun? How'd he get into Gami _with_ a gun?"

"I don't know. We don't really have security for that type of thing since guns aren't readily available. As sups, we don't generally have problems with them. That guy was crazy, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know he was _that_ crazy," she said, but softened instantly when she realized that it turned out this whole mess was _her _fault. "What … happened to him?"

"Self defense, Sesshomaru … erm, killed him," he weakly explained, fearful of her response.

She nodded to that, she could understand that need but … she just leaned her had against his chest once more and shut her eyes. "This is my fault," she whispered.

"No it's not, Kagome, come with me," he said as his hands slid down her arm to take her through the crowd and into the parking garage. Thoughtlessly, she followed him to his car. "The interns are going to get dismissed for the day. I'll take you home."

She nodded as she got into the car. He buckled up but she didn't, she slid into his lap and cupped his face in her hands - surprising him - before leaning forward to kiss him. "I was so, so, so worried about you," she whispered once she pulled away.

"That … that's going to be a problem," he said to earn a curious gaze from her. "It sounds like you much about me for what we are…"

What scared him most was that it was mutual. He cared a lot about someone he shouldn't. They were just having sex. He didn't want it to be more - he could _not_ fall for a twenty-one-year old. Love, or anything near it, didn't ever end well for him. Why would he subject himself to that again? He decided then to cut his losses.

It was time to let her go.

"I…" Kagome started slowly before swallowing. "I do care…" But she wasn't about to admit it might be too much. It wasn't until he said it that she realized the truth in that - if they continued as they did, she was at risk for falling for the arrogant man who was still hung up on another women. That wasn't smart, and if she was going to finally give up and fall in love with someone it wouldn't be with a man that loved another still.

She didn't want to be a rebound.

She could be second best with a toyfriend, she couldn't with a boyfriend.

"Things have gotten really complicated," Inuyasha said. "With the whole Naraku mess, work, and so much more … don't you think? Adding us to the mix just…"

"It's not smart," she said, trying to withhold the disappointment in her voice.

"You're just twenty-one," he said.

"And you're _already_ two hundred and fifty," she grumbled, hating the huge age difference the most.

"Right … so," he stopped, taking a deep breath in, before finally saying it, "let's see other people."

She pressed her lips together as she searched his eyes, hoping to see a fragment of uncertainty but she couldn't find any, so she inhaled deeply. "Is this because your brother got shot because of me? I'm really sorry about what Hiro -"

"It sort of amuses me that Sesshomaru got shot," Inuyasha admitted with a flash of a grin. "But a full blooded demon like him getting shot in the arm really isn't that big of a deal. That hasn't nothing to do with this."

Then, if that were the case, she refused to see what could be wrong in his logic. There was just too much fear for the both of them to try and continue. One had never fallen in love in fear of getting hurt. The other had already experienced it and refused to subject himself to a repeat of the past.

That's why, she said, "Let's see other people."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: I know I said I wouldn't update for a while but I had time to write this chapter. It's shorter than normal._

_Anyway, as I stated in the last chapter's Author's Note I'll be leaving tomorrow to go and work in Australia for four months. It'll be a while before I adjust to the time change and new situation and a while longer for me to get situated in my place and work. I am almost a hundred percent sure that I will not update for anywhere between a week and two weeks._

_Please bare with me for that absence. Please **continue to review**. I appreciate each, short or long.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter:** Product of Hate_


	12. Product of Hated Lust

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 12: Product of Hated Lust<em>**

The shooting was the talk of Gami, Inc., when everyone was allowed to come back the next day. Every news networks covered it. The inexplicable incident that no one understood. Why would Yokahama Hiro - senior at Tokyo U and general good guy - have bought a gun from the Tokyo black market to sneak into Gami in order to try to gun down Takamoru Sesshomaru - VP of Marketing? Insanity was what everyone said, apparently there was a history of mental illness in his family. At least that's what a couple of journalists claimed.

At Gami they had different questions. Why would a _human_ do something like that? What did he have against Takamoru Sesshomaru? Only a few were in the knew it was over Higurashi Kagome, and a mistake. His real target ought to have been Takamoru Inuyasha - her former lover. She tried her utmost to not talk about it, not listen, to just work harder and harder that day until Sango called her into her office.

"I'm in a rush," Sango said as soon as she got into the office. Kagome really didn't have to be told that since she saw her supervisor's hasty movements as she ran around her office gathering items. "I have to pick Mio up and take her to a doctor's appointment today."

"Is she sick?"

Sango shook her head. "Just a check-up, she hates them, but I've got to take her since Miroku _apparently_ has something better to do today."

There was a tinge of annoyance embedded in her voice, but Kagome supposed she could understand that. "So…?"

"I need you to take these," she slapped a set of files upon her desk - a _huge_ stack of them. "Upstairs, can you do that? They all go to HR except the top one, can you give that to Miroku?"

"Sure thing," she chimed as she picked them up.

"Oh," Sango stopped before she could run out of her office like she so desperately needed to. "I hate to ask this all of a sudden - mostly since it's last minute - but you did offer to watch Mio if I ever needed you to … could you babysit her tonight?"

"I would love to," Kagome assured with a large smile. It wasn't as if she had anything to do that night anymore. There was no Inuyasha to spend her evenings with.

"I'll call you about it later, thanks!" Sango shouted then ran out.

With the files, Kagome traveled up to the floor with HR. As soon as she tried to hand them off, someone told her to take them up to Kikyou's office instead. It took effort to withhold a groan, but she got back on the elevator and traveled up with the heavy stack of papers so that she could go to the receptionist in front of the VP's office.

"Thank you, I'll give them to her as soon as possible," her secretary said with a well practiced smile. Kagome just nodded, thanked her, and walked away. A pang pulsed through her when she passed by Inuyasha's office, but she wasn't going to stop to chitchat like she would have just the day prior … they weren't 'toyfriends' anymore. They weren't even friends.

It wasn't as if they ever were…

Instead she went across the floor to find Miroku's office, curious as to what was so important that he couldn't take his daughter to the doctor's. What she saw when she looked through the open door was a very flustered man, who kept running his hand through his hair as his violet eyes were locked with his computer.

"You alright?" she questioned, causing him to jump some before he looked to her.

"Yes, sorry, just…" he waved it off, "work, you know how it is. I'm behind due to the incident yesterday."

She nodded at that before she placed the file Sango had wanted her to give him on her desk. "From Sango."

"Great, I've been waiting for this list," he answered eagerly as he opened it up to examine it.

It was impossible not to ask. "What are you up to tonight?"

"Tonight?" he asked curiously with a lifted brow. "I have a meeting with a couple of our clients. I'm not sure when I'll be done with it. Why?"

"I was just curious. Sango asked me to babysit Mio for her so I figured you must be busy," she explained with a shrugged shoulder. "Of course, I'm more than happy to do it. I do like her."

"Oh," he murmured, "I suppose Sango is going to the hospital tonight after all…"

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"No, not with her. She'll visit Sesshomaru. He'd be out by now if it was his choice, but his father insisted he stay to keep up mortal appearance." He sighed heavily. It was strange he felt close enough to Kagome already to tell her such matters. Or that he felt it was safe enough to say, "I was hoping that they were just a fling, but it seems there are deeper feelings there. She was very upset yesterday when she heard one of the Takamoru brothers was shot."

"They're an odd couple," Kagome said. They were both very attractive in their own way, but it seemed to Kagome that they wouldn't mesh together.

"Yes, but both very focused about matters … their personalities work well together. And Bishamonten, Sango's father, loves the idea of his favorite daughter with Inutaisho's only full blooded son. Inutaisho's keen on that as well." He leaned back in his seat then as he let a frown seep into his face. "Bishamonten hates me."

"Because you had a baby out of wedlock with his daughter?" Kagome guessed.

He shook his head. "Sups do that all the time. It's not frowned upon. He just doesn't think I'm worthy of his daughter … he's probably right."

"Don't talk like that, Miroku," she said with a frown. "You're a great person."

"You're sweet," he countered before he dared to mention, "I heard you and Inuyasha decided to part ways."

"Yep. Well, I've got to go back to work. I'll see you later."

"Bye," she barely heard before she rushed away. She wasn't sure what Miroku was going to say about her and Inuyasha no longer being together, but she knew it wasn't something she wanted to hear. She wasn't even sure how she felt about it.

Unfortunately, as soon as she got into the elevator she regretted it. The strange, midnight blue eyed moon goddess was alone in there. A smirk slipped up her lip when she noticed Kagome was the one who was waiting to get on. She just lifted her hand and wiggled her finger for her to get in. It would have been insulting if she had run away, so she took a deep breath in and walked into the elevator. As soon as she did the doors closed and Kaguya hit the 'stop' button to keep the elevator at a standstill.

"Kagome," Kaguya sung as she spun around to almost press herself against her. Kagome took a series of steps back until her back was against the wall. Kaguya just followed until she was just a breath away from him. "I heard that whole shooting mess yesterday had a lot to do with you."

"I-is that so?" she stuttered.

"You needn't blame yourself. It's your blood that made that boy go a bit crazy," she explained as she lifted her hand to caress Kagome's cheek. "There are a few types of nymphs. One used to lore men to their death in the sea with their alluring ways. That, and the way that your ancestors used to just do as they pleased with their sexuality. Did you know you're decedents of gods? Not any of us, but some of the Greek ones that still exist. They are so found of your kind, hence why few are found in Japan. Your type, the shikon nymph, is just a strange mishap that occurred to a sec of nymphs that lingered for ages in Japan.

"That boy must have just been particularly susceptible to your charms, probably why he went a bit crazy, but I'm not sure at all where that gun came from." Kaguya ran a hand down her side to grip her hip. "Rumor has it, you have severed your relationship with Takamoru Inuyasha - or, rather, he did."

"It's true," she said.

"Good, how would you feel about going to bed with a goddess?" She seductively questioned with a smile upon her deep maroon colored lips.

"Sorry?" Kagome gasped, did a women just ask her that? She had never experimented, but…

"Think about it," Kaguya requested with a wink before she reached out to start the elevator again, getting off at the next floor.

Leaving Kagome dumbfounded at what to do about _that_.

**.oooOoOooo.**

There was only a month left to summer, which meant her internship. The time started to tick away quicker and quicker for her. Most of the time she was making up for the lack of effort she had put towards a friendship with the other interns. Thursday through Saturday they were all together at a club or party. And when she wasn't doing that, she was staying late at work to finish up added projects that Sango gave her. Apparently, she had become her 'go-to' girl.

Then there was the almost weekly babysitting sessions with Mio, regardless of which parent was in possession of her. A couple times she was certain she was at Sango's apartment - a huge, amazing one - watching over Mio so that her mommy could go to dinner with the eldest Takamoru brother. She didn't ask about her relationship, since her loyalty lied with Miroku, but she was happy to talk about anything else with Sango which slowly started a tradition of eating dinner with her supervisor every time she stayed passed five.

And just like that … it was over and school was starting up again. Her summer internship, which she came to love was done. She had to go back to courses and homework. But it did give her purpose, she knew what she wanted to do - work at Gami. Medical school wasn't her preference anymore and that's why most of her classes consisted of business school ones instead of biology.

"You aren't looking forward to going back to college?" Souta had asked with a bent brow, disbelief in his voice as he watched his sister go through her packed items. They had moved from the apartment to the house for the Monday that proceeded her being able to go back to the dorms. Tomorrow, she'd get to move all over again back to her dorm. "Wouldn't it be easier to be in school then to do actual work?"

"I really liked it at Gami," she said before she found the pair of shorts she was looking for. "I want to work there full time when I graduate."

"Getting a job there will be easy for you, right? Since you interned there?" He questioned as he played a hand-held video game.

"It will be a factor into whether I do or not," Kagome said, but really she was certain that she'd get the job. Sango had all but promised her a position in her department upon completion of her time in college. When she looked up her brother was gone, probably to get a new game or go out to play soccer with his friends. That's when she got up to go to her mom's room and search around in the closest.

She wanted to find one of the photo albums, wanted to find a great picture of her dad, and take it to her dorm room to frame it and put it on her nightstand. No, she hadn't built up the courage to talk to her mother about the obvious fact that she had been lying about who her father was, when they had gotten married, or anything of the sort.

But when she reached for the highest box in hopes of finding a perfect picture it, along with a couple other files, fell out to smack her on the head.

"Ouch," she whined. She knelt down to try and pick up the mess. One of the first things her hand reached out to grab was a piece of paper. It was a marriage certificate. With a date that told the truth - her mother was only married to her dad for almost five years, instead of the almost seven she had said.

"Kagome? Are you alright?" she could hear her mother asked in the hallway. When she opened the door, her face went blank at the sight in front of her.

"Mom," Kagome slowly started as her eyes shifted from the certificate up to her. "Why does this thing say that you didn't get married until…?"

"Kagome," her mother said. She walked over to kneel down next to her daughter. "I…"

"I'm not mad," she assured her mother. She knew that any lie her mother might have told her surely had to be for her own good. Her mother loved her too much, raised her almost all by herself, to ever do something that might hurt her. "It's just … I want to know."

"I didn't want you to know that I was pregnant before I got married, it was shameful," she whispered. Hr hand reached out to pick up a photo of her late husband.

Finally, she found an in, a way to ask the question that had been plaguing her forever. "Is … he really my dad?"

"Yes," her mother stated so firmly as she clenched the photo tighter. "He's your father. He loved you so much, Kagome. Endlessly. He took amazing care of you."

"I know," she whispered. "I mean, is he my _biological_ father, mom?"

That stopped her mom for a while. She looked up to see the yearning in her daughter's pretty hazel eyes. She _needed_ to know, she was half certain that - somehow - her daughter had already found out the truth. She swallowed before shaking her head slightly. "No, he's not."

"Why would you lie to me about that?" Kagome questioned quickly, trying her utmost not to sound harsh. "You could have told me when I was old enough to understand. I wouldn't have thought less of you, Mom. Who's my biological father? Did … did you meet him before dad?"

She knew what that question really was asking, did she cheat on her father? She just frowned some more as her hazel eyes shifted down to look at the photo of her smiling late love. That man that would always own her heart.

"Mom, who is my biological father?" Kagome kept up, she wanted to know. Maybe … maybe he was alive still? He had to be a half-demon, but her mother probably didn't know that in the least bit. Just like she was unaware of her own nymph blood.

"I love you so much, Kagome," her mother said sweetly as she looked to her daughter's eyes. "Everything I've told you is for your own good. I know lying is not always right but … but … I didn't want you to … have to suffer with the knowledge of all this."

"Did … you cheat on dad?" Was that what her mother was getting at? Did she not want her to have to know that she was the product of infidelity?

She shook her head as she took a shaky breath in. "No. But … your father and I had been together since we were teens. We loved each other very much. I knew I would spend the rest of my life with him since I was sixteen years old. But, um … when I was … when I was twenty," she pressed her lips together and blinked to relieve her watery eyes. "Sweetheart, I never wanted to tell you this…"

"Tell me anyway." it was too late for her to turn back.

"I love you, always have, always will," her mother said. She reached out for one of his daughter's hand to squeeze her hand.

"You're worrying me, Mom," she muttered with bent brows. "Please just tell me. Do you know how my dad is?"

"No," she admitted cautiously, watching as shock spread across his face. "I don't know his name … he was never caught."

"Caught?" Kagome cautiously mumbled. "What do you mean … caught?"

"I … I was twenty. I got attacked one night when I was returning from work," she paused, biting her lips before she found the courage to continue, "and… two months later I found out I was pregnant with you. Your father said he loved me all the same. He was there for me through everything, and once we got married he officially adopted you as his own daughter. He always thought that way, always loved you like you were his own."

Kagome couldn't breathe. How could it be that … that she was the product for rape? That her mother was _raped_ and that's how she came to be? She pulled her hand away from her mom and stood up.

"I didn't want you to know," her mother stated as she, too, stood. "I love you. I never held it against you in the least bit for what happened. You were just an innocent baby…"

"Why did you have me?" she questioned with a unsteady voice. If she were raped, if she found out she was pregnant from such a horrible action, from such a _hideous _man, she didn't know what she would have done but … but have the child? She didn't know if she could have done that.

"Because I loved you, honey. I could never have given you up. You'e my daughter. Regardless of how that came to be."

"How could they have never caught that person?" Kagome asked as she blinked away tears. "How?"

"I … I didn't file a police report," she admitted with her hazels stuck to the floor. "I was so ashamed… he cut me, in the side," she placed her hand to her left side, "and I might have died if someone hadn't come across me and called the police. I only told them that someone had stabbed me, that he had stolen my purse, not that he… he…"

"It wasn't your fault," Kagome said.

"I know that now but…" She shook her head lightly.

In that moment, as she looked to her deeply saddened mother, she knew why she was so scared to have asked that question all summer. Somewhere, within her, she must have known she didn't want to hear the horrible news. She was the product of such a horrible incident.

And she wished she lived in the blissful darkness from before.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Numbness coursed through her body while she walked around Tokyo, aimlessly at first. She merely enjoyed the feeling of the sun against her skin, allowing her mind to venture over what had been explained to her just an hour ago by her mother. The man that loved her to no ends, the one that took her in as his very own, wasn't really her dad. A horrible beast that had raped her mother was.

She wished she didn't know that … when she finally looked up from her daze she realized where she was, just around the corner from Gami, Inc. She finished the journey to get inside the building. Security had become stricter since the shooting, but Kagome was still waved in since the guards knew her. It was an offbeat time for someone to be riding in any of the many elevators. She caught one quickly and road one up without stopping once to get to the floor she sought.

Mindlessly, she walked across the floor to end up at the office of the man she wanted to talk about what she had just discovered with the most. She knocked on the door that was almost always opened to gain his violet eyed attention. A smile quickly crossed his face as he motioned for her to come in and take a seat. She did so without a word.

"How is it going?" Miroku asked. "Can't stay away for too long, I see. It's only been a couple days since your internship ended."

She nodded at that before she loosely wrapped her hands around themselves. Over her time at Gami, she had grown close to the perverted man. He was always a sympathetic ear, always someone willing to talk to her even when he was in the midst of work.

"What's wrong?" He had noticed right away that her usual smile was absent and a rather gloomy aura wrapped around her. It had surprised him how easy it appeared for her to let go of her relationship with Inuyasha. She kept smiling, acting as if nothing was wrong in the least bit. The fact that she couldn't even fake a smile for his sake was concerning.

"I don't know where to start," she said with a sigh.

"Start wherever you'd like," he offered as he leaned back in his chair.

"So … you know how the man that I thought was my dad obviously wasn't, since he was purely human?" She waited for him to nod, they had discussed that quite a few times. "I finally asked my mom about it."

"Oh?"

She swallowed and ran her hand through her hair. "It turns out she was assaulted when she was twenty," it was hard for her to say the next word, so much so that she pressed her lips together, before she finally found a way to, "raped, stabbed, and left for dead. So … my biological father raped my mother. My dad and her were together when it happened. He supported her and adapted me as his own."

There was a long silence before Miroku finally figured out what to say, "I'm sorry about that, Kagome."

"I wish I didn't find out."

"Your mother obviously loves you very much. You needn't feel guilty about something that was completely out of your control."

She knew that was the logical way to look at it, that she shouldn't have felt like it was all her fault that her mother had to endure such a horrific experience, to have that memory always in her mind but… but how could she not? Could her mother really look at her and not think about that incident? About the man that had raped her? She was a constant reminder. Always, Kagome _always_ knew her mother was a woman of great strength to be able to lose her husband suddenly and still raise a baby boy and small girl almost single handedly while juggling house chores and work but … but to be able to raise a girl that she only had become a man had raped her?

To be able to look at her without thinking about all those terrible things?

Her mother was the strongest women in the world, as far as Kagome was concerned.

"I … feel awful, though. I … I'm part something and I don't even know what," she shakily said. She wrapped her arms around herself. Half of her was from a man that thought raping and attempted murder were acceptable career choices. She felt so sickened by that truth, making her want to vomit at the very thought.

Miroku honestly was at a loss of words as he watched the girl in front of him rest her face in the palm of her hands. He couldn't imagine what that would be like, to suddenly find out that she had come to this world through an act of such violence but… "Kagome, you're one of the kindest and sweetest persons I have ever met. You aren't anything like that man."

"He was half demon," she said, though through her hands made it difficult to hear. It was wrong at first, but she felt resentment towards all the half demons for that. For the crime that one had committed against her mother but … she knew it was wrong. She knew one that wasn't like that at all, and if Inuyasha could be a good person than she was certain that most could be too.

"Some people, regardless of what they are, can be horrible."

"He was never caught," she added.

Miroku hadn't time to respond to that before he noticed Inuyasha walk by his door. At first, he didn't think the half-breed noticed his former lover was there. Until he saw Inuyasha take a couple steps back so he could look in and verify what he must have seen out of the corner of his eyes. More likely smelled, actually. Inuyasha could tell even from there, with her back towards him, that there was something wrong.

It had been a while since he had seen her. They crossed paths a couple of times in her final month of internship. Four or five times he had driven her home. They tried their best to pretend it wasn't awkward, that it just fine but … it was awkward. Very awkward. And there were plenty of nights that he found himself reaching for his phone to call her out of sheer desire, but then he remembered that they had agreed to see other people.

The only problem with was, he hadn't found someone else to see yet. From his talks with Miroku - the ones he attempted to be nonchalant - he had found out that she hadn't found someone else, either. His perverted friend had grinned at him knowingly whenever he worked Kagome into the conversation, but never flat out accused him of still caring.

His auburn gaze shifted from the slouched girl with her head in her hands to Miroku who was staring right at him. He just lifted a brow to silently ask what was wrong. Miroku merely frowned in return - it was bad. When Miroku motioned for him to come in, Inuyasha cautiously did just that to place his hand on the back of the seat Kagome was in.

It was only then that she seemed to notice someone was there, so she sat up and looked.

"Hey," he greeted

"Hi," she mumbled back while her eyes met with the floor.

"What's wrong?"

Warily, she asked, "Remember how you told me my dad wasn't really my dad?" He just nodded. "It turns out you were right … my … my mom was attacked almost twenty two years ago … and … that's how I came to be."

Inuyasha didn't understand that completely. He lifted a brow and looked to Miroku. He mouthed a word once but he didn't get it. Not until the third try: _raped_. Her mother was raped and Kagome was the end product. It made complete sense why she was mopping around. His eyes shifted back to the lamenting girl.

"The guy that did it must have been a half-breed."

He bit his lips as his brows bent together then knelt down next to Kagome. She finally looked at him.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "Really, I am."

"Thanks," she said. Hearing he was sorry didn't make him feel any better. It wasn't as if it was his fault. "The worst part is that the guy never got caught. He almost killed my mom, literally, he _stabbed _her … and he's never been punished for it."

"He," Inuyasha choked before clearing his throat to go on, "he … stabbed her? She was … twenty then, huh?"

"Yes," she whispered.

He stood back up and folded his arms, letting his eyes meet the Miroku's curious gaze.

"What do you know, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. He had known the half-breed for a long time. It was easy for him to tell that he was holding something back.

"Do you know something?" Kagome questioned quickly as she stood up to turn to him, her eyes pleading. "Please, tell me Inuyasha. Whatever you know. I can handle it."

"I know that your mother was attacked when she was twenty. I know that's when her shikon was taken … I didn't know that she was raped. It wasn't in the police report."

"She didn't file one…. She was ashamed. Do… you know that who did it?"

Who her was father?

He pressed his lips together. His eyes flickered between her and Miroku a couple times. His friend just shrugged, not knowing whether it was a good idea to tell her whatever he was thinking. He swallowed then said, "We aren't a hundred percent certain or anything…. We just think we know."

"Who are 'we'?" she asked.

"The chairmen, my father, and the VPs," he answered, waiting for a nod before he spoke some more. "We … we think that it was Naraku."

She lost the ability to breath all of the sudden. Her knees weakened, and she probably would have collapsed on the ground if not for the fact that Inuyasha grabbed her. Her usually fine complexion fell white, her eyes wide, her heart almost seemed to stop so he held her closer to try and comfort her. For a long while no one said anything.

"H-he c-could be my biological dad?"

"Could be is the key, Kagome. We don't know that for a fact."

"But my biological dad is a half-breed. Naraku's one, and he's been attacking shikon nymphs." Kagome sank into Inuyasha some more. It didn't make the situation great or fix it in the least, but it made her feel a fragment better.

"But we don't know for sure, Kagome," Inuyasha assured her the best he could but… with all the facts that were in front of them it was hard to see it any other way. To think that the woman in his arms was the daughter of Onigumo - well, he supposed it was Naraku now - disgusted him a little. To think he had sex with Onigumo's_ daughter _… it caused a shiver to course through his spine.

He didn't know how well he could take that. If it were ever confirmed then that would be it - he _definitely _could never be with Kagome again. Could never touch her in an intimate way, never think of her the same way. It wasn't her fault if she was the spawn of a monster, but he would never be able to get it out of his mind.

It was a good thing that they were done with.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Numbness, that was a necessity, she had to stop thinking about all the _what ifs_ - what if Naraku _was_ her biological dad? - and the fact that she was only alive because someone had raped her mother or else she'd drive herself mad. It hurt her mother to see her in such pain from the knowledge, too, and for her mother she'd do anything. Even pretend like that information meant nothing.

School had to have her full focus, so she enrolled in another class - to meet the maximum amount possible. Because of the late enrollment, she was behind in work and more than happy to spend all her time in the library making up for it and doing all her other homework. Most of her day was spent there or at her uncle's bookstore - he was kind enough to let her take that position back.

Time slipped away from her because of all that. Her mind really ceased to venture to all the what ifs and melancholy. The truth of that matter was simple, regardless of if she was only alive because of rape, she couldn't change anything. All she could do was try to make her mother proud as is.

What really started to bother her after a while was … she hadn't seen Inuyasha in such a long time. Not since that day that he comforted her, and that was nearly a month ago. No, she stopped to check the date on her phone, that _was_ a month ago. Sometimes, she'd catch herself wishing she was with him again. He had been _so_ sweet when she needed him to be.

"Kagome?" Houjo, her study buddy, questioned to snap her out of her daze and look up from her book to see him staring. "You alright?"

She nodded as she sat up straighter in her chair to look across the library table to him. "Sorry, I was zoned out there."

"I could tell," he replied with a smile. "You worried about this test?"

"No," she answered. It was the marketing project that she had due in her class next week that was concerning. "I have all weekend to study for it, after all."

"That's true."

All she did was nod at that as her attention returned to her phone. It was just passed three in the afternoon and it was Friday. The last thing she wanted to do was study more. Luckily, her phone went off then. Even though it was an unknown number, she picked it up after telling Houjo she'd be back. She walked towards one of the doors. "Hello?"

"Higurashi Kagome?" a familiar voice said, but not one that she knew well enough to place.

"Yes," she answered with a lifted brow. "Who is this?"

"Takamoru Inutaisho. If you have the time, I would like you to come to Gami."

"Uh," she paused, thrown off by the request just as much as the realization that she was talking to the CEO of Gami. "Yes … I do, may I ask why?"

"Some matters have just come to my knowledge. I would like to speak to you about them. When is the soonest you can come in?"

"I can be there in about a half hour. Would that be alright with you?"

"Yes, just come to my office and tell my secretary who you are," he stated before hanging up.

Leaving her in baffled awe.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Inutaisho's office was very nice. A floor above Inuyasha's - which meant the top - and bigger than his sons'. There were antique items all about, ancient paintings, old statues, and fine furniture. She gathered from the looks of the couch in the room that he spent a majority of his nights there. Somehow she wasn't surprised, there didn't seem to be a lot of love amongst the Takamoru boys. It was unlikely they spent a lot of time together outside of the workplace.

Still, it was rather intimidating to be sitting in front of the CEO of the company. His eyes upon whatever work she had interrupted when she was let in. After a long moment of silence while he was settling his work, he got up and walked around his desk to sit next to Kagome in the other chair which caught her even more off guard. His gaze shifted over her a few times, as if elevating her for some reason.

"It has been brought to my attention that the half-breed who attacked you, the one we are still looking for, is possibly your biological father? Naraku?" he finally spoke, causing her to feel ill from his words. It wasn't hard for him to tell that she didn't wish to speak about the matter, but he had to ask.

"Yes … maybe, no one knows for sure," she answered while her eyes shifted downward. "Why?"

"It could explain why he still has an interest in you. Even after removing your shikon," Inutaisho explained. "We like to keep track of genealogy as well."

"Is that all? You called me here just to ask that?" She hardly saw the point. He could have just asked on the phone.

Instead of actually answering that question, he said something that she had never expected. "I don't know what it is about nymphs that makes you all so alluring … and the shikon nymph is the only one with origins in Japan. That makes you far more attractive in my opinion, tradition is important to me."

Her eyes widened at that declaration, was … was Inuyasha's father hitting on her? Her eyes shifted across his face, but there was no lustful look. He was merely stating a fact. She could tell from his office that he was proudly born and breed in Japan. There were quite a few people at Gami who came from all over the place, but Inutaisho was Japanese as much as he was a demon.

She didn't even notice that the door opened, nor Inutaisho's mischievous look as he glanced towards it, since her hazels were moving around the artwork in the room. What caused her to look back at Inutaisho was the feeling of a hand on her thigh, her eyes widened. He was hitting on her? The CEO of Gami, Inc., was hitting on her? Granted, he was very handsome but … way too old and _Inuyasha's_ father.

"You are very lovely," Inutaisho stated. "I was curious if -"

Then someone clearing his throat, loudly and purposefully, caught both their attention. There stood his youngest son, the highest ranking half-breed in Gami and the supernatural community, staring a hole through his father as if hoping that he could catch him on fire.

"Here are those reports you wanted," Inuyasha growled as he waved the file around in his hand. "What's this?"

"I was merely having a conversation with Miss Higurashi," his father stated innocently as he removed his hand from her thigh. "Thank you for being so quick with those, I would have expected it taking you all day. Miss Higurashi, that's all, if you would like to leave you may."

"Alright, goodbye," Kagome replied with a nod before she stood up, avoiding Inuyasha on her way out. Not only did she not want to hear a rant but she didn't want to be on the receiving end of that harsh glare.

As soon as she was out of the room, Inuyasha snapped, "What the _fuck_ are you doing? That girl has had sex with both your sons!"

"Well, then we could have made it a perfect three Takamorus," Inutaisho said with a shrug and a smirk.

"I can't believe you," he growled as he stomped up to slap the file upon his father's desk. "You try and try to make me give a shit about you - to think of you as a _father_ - and you go and hit on my woman!"

"She's your woman now?" Inutaisho asked, letting his smirk grow. "That's interesting. I was under the impression you two have not been together for … what, two months now?"

"Shut up, I didn't mean that," he countered quickly. "I mean my _former_ fling. You can't fuck her. I'll never forgive you for that."

"You never forgive me for anything," he reminded him.

"You abandon me for the first twenty years of my life, leave me to live like a freak in a human world, why should I forgive you for that?" Since that was certainly what his father was speaking of. More so, he abandoned his _mother_. The beautiful women that took such great care of him even through such suffering. When most women would have given away the child, his mother raised him the best she could until she fell ill and died.

"I had no idea Izayoi was pregnant. If I was aware of that fact, I would have never left her or you," Inutaisho replied. As he always did, but regardless of all the times he said it, Inuyasha never took it as truth. "So, no one is allowed to have Higurashi Kagome but you, is that the case?"

"You sure as hell can't," he retorted.

"You know," Inutaisho dragged out, "a women with demon and shikon nymph blood … and a demon half-breed would make a fine child together."

His son's eyes widened at that, for once he was able to render the boy speechless. He had been hoping that the fling between the two would have progressed into something more. The mere fact that Higurashi Kagome was willing to openly express affection for his son, a half-breed, in a room filled with superior sups and high ranking Gami employees deeply impressed him. Moreover, he was happy for his son. He found someone that could love and accept him as he was…

That was why he had invited Kagome to his office and asked his son to bring a file up at the same time. Jealousy was one of his worst qualities, but it surely earned the reaction he had wanted. The slip up, Kagome was 'his' woman, meant he still cared. There was still opportunities to do some meddling.

"I… I can't believe you just said that," Inuyasha finally stuttered. "We were barely together for more than like … three months or something and even then we weren't more than fuck buddies."

"You needn't be married to the woman to produce an heir," his father answered. "I really would like a grandchild, Inuyasha. It would give me great peace of mind to know that our family blood would be carried on."

"Keh,_ you_ have a kid with her then," he gripped.

"Do you think she'd agree to that?" Inutaisho asked with a grin, only to receive a harsh glare from his son. "I want a grandchild, not another child. You are two hundred and fifty, Sesshomaru is three hundred, and yet neither of you have a child? An heir to our family fortune? It's embarrassing. By now you both should have at least one. By the time I was Sesshomaru's age I had you both."

"Fucking tell Sesshomaru to have a kid then," Inuyasha insisted.

"I have been telling him to have a child with Kobayashi Sango, but he hasn't seemed to take it to heart yet," he said with a sigh.

"You only want that because she's Bishamonten's child," Inuyasha grumbled. "I think they should stop fucking around already."

"You merely say that because Akimoto Miroku is your closest friend," his father countered. "Bishamonten would like it just as much as I would if they were to have a child. I would have always thought you would have been better at being a father than Sesshomaru. And Miss Higurashi seems like such the motherly type."

"I'm leaving," Inuyasha shouted with a wave of his hand as he turned on his heels to storm out. Embarrassment etched into his face, though he tried to pass off the reddened cheeks as flaming anger. His father merely smiled all the more.

**.oooOoOooo.**

That could not have been more awkward for her, to be stuck between father and son like that, two that had such a rocky relationship on top of that. It wasn't as if she was attracted to Inutaisho - well, he was good looking but… He was still Inuyasha's father and she had heard that he was somewhere in the five hundred year range. She could barely deal with Inuyasha being two hundred and fifty, she couldn't deal with double that.

But, really, the most important fact was that he was _Inuyasha's_ daddy and she would never cross that line. She wasn't over him enough to get under someone else. That was what got her to stop in her tracks on the sidewalk of Tokyo. Inuyasha … probably completely misunderstood that.

She didn't want that to be the case. She didn't want him to think that she was screwing around with his dad or that she even wanted to. She turned around with the intention of going back but then stopped again. There really wasn't a reason to go all the way back and up the building to tell him that when she could have just called. So she pulled out her cell to look through her address book for him.

She'd just call him and explain the situation. She _needed_ him to understand that she didn't want anything to do with his father. Before she could even press 'send,' she felt a smack to the back of her head, one so hard that everything slowly became black.

Never did she touch the floor, instead she felt someone wrap their arms around her. It was in the haze before the darkness consumed her that she saw a pair of crimsons and a smirk…

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Again, apparently I lie a lot. .. but this is the good type of lying, right? The one where I update even when I say I'm not going to? But, you see, I had a really long flight so plenty of time to write another chapter. And now I'm forcing myself to stay awake so I can get over jet lag. I also found a place with internet service so I could upload it. For real this time (probably, I feel I need to add a disclaimer now...) I'm really probably not going to update for a week. I'm starting work and things Monday so that'll probably take a lot of my time away from me._

_Enjoy the update. Thank you everyone who reviewed and continues to review._


	13. Possession or Obsession

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 13: Possession or Obsession<em>**

Bit by bit, Kagome made her way back to the light, away from the haze of subtle hurt and foggy nothingness … until there was light, and a lot of it, too. She had to shut her eyes quickly to reframe from being overwhelmed by it. Like that, she tried to take in her surroundings. There was no breeze and the temperature around her was mild, so she was probably inside. Her body was against something soft and welcoming. The more she felt what was near her the more she realized it was soft, fabric like… so she was probably on a bed or something close to it

Gradually, she opened her eyes again to see where the blinding light had originated from - a window. She sat up to look around. She was in a rather large bedroom with a strange theme to it - mostly pink, a variation from light to hot. It was as if whoever designed it was aiming to for a grown-up princess vibe. Where the hell was she?

What the _hell_ happened?

It took effort for her to get up and off the bed, to stand straight and ignore the throb from her head. She walked across the room and opened the door to enter a living room. A modern looking one with a large window across the wall. That was where she found herself, looking out to see Tokyo tower in the distance. So she was still in Tokyo… but where?

She had been hit over the head, that was what she remembered as she raised her hand to the back of her head to feel a pang of pain. But who hit her and where did they take her? As soon as her sense came back to her, she rushed to try and find a phone, only to discover that none were functioning, and her cell was nowhere to be found. So she ran to the front door to try and open it, yet it wouldn't, no matter how many times she tried to unlock it.

So she went to her last resort. "Help! Someone! Help!"

"Stop that," a man ordered behind her, causing her whole body to tense up before she turned to see the crimson eyed creeper. Her breath left her as she stared in horrific awe, praying that it was just a nightmare, that she'd wake up any second. "No one will hear you, my place is sound proof. You'll only wear your voice down."

"You … you kidnapped me," she accused shakily, backing up to the door until she felt her back against it.

"That's one way of looking at it."

"Wh … what other way is there?"

"Taking back what is rightfully mine."

"Why… would you say that?"

"You are my kin, my _daughter_," he slowly, thoroughly, taunted with a grin. "Is it kidnapping if you are mine?"

She felt the need to vomit. She felt so sick from just hearing him _say _it - to hear him _confirm_ it. What she had feared so deeply … that he was part of her. That she was _half_ of him. She wanted to burn that blood, wanted to expel every bit of her that was him, but she couldn't … it was impossible.

"You can't call me that," Kagome snapped when she finally found her strength. "I'm not!"

"You are," he argued as he walked up to her, raising his hand to stroke her face.

"You raped my mother," she accused him bitterly as she slapped his hand away. "That doesn't mean you can call me your daughter. You're hideous!"

"You call it rape, I call it simply giving her pleasure and a child which your mother apparently cherished."

"Don't you _ever_ go near her again," she ordered.

"I have no interest in doing so. She's old now," he said as if it was a ridiculous idea to start out with. "You look so much like her when I took her shikon twenty some years ago…"

"What?" she hissed with narrowed eyes. "You going to rape me to?"

He shook his head, matching her stare equally. "I may do many things that you would consider repulsive, but incest is not one of them."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"You're my daughter. You are mine. Don't you see what a gift I have given you? By removing your shikon, I have allowed your _true_ blood through - _my _blood to start to arise."

That's when his words rang through her head, the ones he had spoken when he stabbed her all those months ago: _"You'd thank me for this, if only you knew."_

He thought he was doing her a favor…?

"Does … that mean that, if I had the shikon back then whatever in my blood that is part you would disappear again?" Kagome questioned, hopefully, is that all it took? Her taking the shikon from him and putting it back? Thank the gods, there was hope that she could get rid of him after all.

"Perhaps," he answered, knowing that was far from the answer that she sought. "But you never will."

"You're an idiot, Inuyasha will come for me _again_," Kagome countered. One wouldn't know from hearing the conviction in her voice how she thought the very opposite, this time he had no way of knowing she was in danger. But she could pretend, she could pray, and she could try to scare him. "He saved me from you last time. He'll do it again."

"You have no idea the pleasure it gives me to know that you are so close to that man," Naraku replied with a grand smirk.

That was hardly the reaction she had been expecting, actually the very opposite. "Wh … why?"

"It will just make it easier to _crush_ him again, to take another woman from him, to cause him so much pain. Very little will give me more enjoyment than ruining him more," Naraku asserted while he rested his hand upon her upper arm. "Kagome, my _daughter_, don't you want to get to know your father better?"

"No," she snapped as she pushed him away and took a fumbled step to the side, _away _from him. "You're not my father. My _real_ father died when I was five. He was a great man."

"And so weak," Naraku countered harshly, his crimsons narrowed on her all the while. "If a car where to smash into me, I would walk away with little more than a bruise, yet he just died. He hardly was strong enough to tend to _my_ child."

Her eyes grew wide. "H-how did … you know tha-that's how he died?"

"Who do you think was driving that car?"

Her knee gave was as she fell against the wall to slid down. Her dad … her daddy was dead because of her? "W-why?"

"Because I could," he stated simply. "You are mine, and you will stay until you appreciate that fact."

**.oooOoOooo.**

It wasn't unlike Kagome to not come back to the dorms on a Friday night, at least not the year before. Their senior year she had focused herself fully on school, even added another course to her already fairly full schedule, and thus it was concerning to Ayame when she went to sleep that night without Kagome there - without even a call or text to say what she was up to. It was worse when she woke up, fairly early for a Saturday, to see that Kagome's bed had been untouched.

And none of her texts had been answered.

That creeper hadn't shown himself since that day at Gami, but Kagome had been smart since then. She didn't go walking around alone at night - _ever_. She didn't go to and from work by herself, Houjo actually walked her most of the time, if not Ayame. Kagome rarely even left campus for anything other than work that entire month.

She wasn't sure what to do after four calls in a row went straight to voicemail other than call up Gami, Inc., and try to talk to someone about it. But who? Her first impulse was Kobayashi Sango, who had still shown interest in Kagome and even went out to eat with her a couple of times that month, but she wasn't available. There was no surprise there. It was Saturday after all … then she tried Akimoto Miroku, since he was close to Kagome. Yet the same thing happened.

When she called a third time and heard the call board receptionist asked, "Gami Incorporation, how many I direct your call?"

She really couldn't think of anyone else. "Please direct me to Takamoru Inuyasha."

"Vice President Takamoru is very busy, I am not supposed to direct calls to him."

"This is _literally _a life or death situation," Ayame asserted, not really sure whether that was a true statement or not but it was enough to get her to transfer the call.

"Vice President Takamoru Inuyasha's office, this is Myoga, how may I help you?"

Ayame sighed with relief, _thank gods_ that Inuyasha was there and apparently had no life. For a brief moment she felt sorry for Inuyasha's executive assistant for having to work just as much as his boss.

"Hi, this is Aoki Ayame. Can I speak to Mr. Takamoru?"

"May I ask what this is pertaining to?"

"Higurashi Kagome, my roommate," Ayame answered.

"Please hold, Mr. Takamoru is very busy today. I will see if he has the time," Myoga questioned as he put the call on hold to get up and walk into Inuyasha's office - after knocking, of course.

"What?" Inuyasha inquired as he glanced from his computer.

"There's an Aoki Ayame on the phone for you. She wants to talk about Higurashi Kagome," Myoga replied. "Do you have time to take the call?"

It took him a while to place the name, Ayame was Kagome's roommate, and she wasn't a fan of him. He often heard her telling Kagome that she should find someone 'less complicated' than him. So why she had decided to call him to talk about Kagome of all people was strange. He would have thought she would have been happy that they weren't screwing around anymore.

"Alright, I'll take it," Inuyasha replied before he picked up the phone and pressed line one. "This is Inuyasha."

"Hi, Inuyasha, it's Ayame," she began cautiously before diving into the problem. "Kagome … wouldn't have spent last night with you, had she?"

"We haven't been together since well before your internship ended," Inuyasha answered as he rubbed his tired eyes. He had issues trying to sleep last night for some reason, mostly because his father's words kept ringing out in his head.

"So that's a no?"

"Obviously," he grumbled back. "Why?"

"She didn't come home last night and … that's really unlike her."

A faint feeling of jealousy swept him. Did she spend the night with some guy last night? He wanted to kill whoever that was. "So, what's your point?"

"It's not _like_ her," she repeated harshly. "Kagome hasn't done that all semester. She would have called me or texted or something. She'd tell me. She wouldn't just not come back. Particularly when that creeper is still around. I called her four times this morning and she didn't answer any of them."

"Has he shown himself to her?" he questioned quickly. "Anytime lately?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but she's been smart. She hasn't gone anywhere alone and none of our friends know where she is. I'm worried, I was hoping she had done something stupid and slept with you again but … apparently not."

He felt a throbbing anger build towards Ayame, but he withheld to urge to snap.

"Gami has a tracking department, right?"

"That's really more for criminals, not girls that didn't return to the dorms for one night."

"She would call me unless she was in trouble! I would have thought you'd given a damn!"

It wasn't that he didn't it was just tha t… he couldn't imagine that something had actually happened to her. He would hate to track her all the way down just to find out she had spent the night with another man. She'd think he was a creeper himself if he did that, or worse, that he still cared.

Which he didn't, at least that's what he kept telling himself.

All the same, he grumbled, "I'll find her, alright?"

"You better," was all he heard before the phone call ended.

Gods, even when they weren't together Kagome was a problem…

**.oooOoOooo.**

"I have school. I need to go back to Tokyo U," Kagome said, glaring at the man that sat on the couch who was reading a scroll. She was stuck sitting against the door with her arms wrapped around her legs, her eyes narrowed on the horrible person.

"Not important," Naraku replied.

"Yes it is!" She snapped. "I worked really hard to get into Tokyo U. I'm working _really_ hard this semester! If you are my father, you should care!"

"How about this," Naraku countered as his gaze shifted to her. "I will destroy Gami and all those arrogant fools who rule it and take control of the supernatural community myself. I will allow you to be the heiress to that instead. I'll see to it that we take the world back from the humans who think their self worth is so great. They're weak. The world should _never_ have gone to them to start out with."

Was that his plan? What he wanted? It sounded horrific. Gami kept the supernatural population in check. It kept them from causing chaos, and he wanted to change all of that?

"Are you going to continue to sit there or come here?" Naraku inquired as he patted the coach. A smirk slipped up his lips.

"I don't want to be _anywhere_ near you!" Kagome shouted back. "You kidnapped me!"

Naraku merely shook his head as he stood up and stretched. He waved her off before he turned to go to one of the other rooms. Before he got all the way in, Kagome felt the door try to open against her back so she scurried forward enough for it to reveal the crimson eyed woman from she had seen at the market. Her eyes were condescending until they turned to Naraku.

"Kagura, watch her while I sleep," he ordered then shut the door behind him.

Kagome watched as Kagura stepped away from the door. It slowly started to close. This might be her only chance to get away so she stood up and grabbed a decorative vase. She smashed it over Kagura's head and grabbed the door that had yet to close. She then ran out and down the first set of staircases she could find. With all her effort, she ran and ran and ran until she was out on the streets and rushing to anywhere - _anywhere_ that wasn't there.

Once her senses seemed to hit her, she ducked into the first open store she found that was highly populated. She thanked the gods when she found a payphone near the bathrooms and that she had enough spare change in her jean pockets that she could make one phone call.

One very important call and though she wished it could be to Inuyasha she didn't know his phone number off the top of her head, so she called Gami, Inc., instead and asked for him.

"Takamoru Inuyasha is not in the office today. I've been asked not to direct any calls to him. I am sorry," the receptionist had said.

"What day is it?" Kagome questioned, not knowing how long she had been held hostage at all - it seemed like a week to her but it couldn't have been that long.

"Sunday…" the women answered cautiously.

Sunday, that meant she had spent two nights and one day with that man. That man that was her father … she shivered at the thought and her eyes darted to the bathroom. She really wanted to throw up.

"Can I talk to Takamoru Inutaisho?"

"Who is this?"

"Higurashi Kagome, it is very, very, very important. Please."

There was a pause before she was told she'd be transferred then his secretary. She told her that she'd tell Inutaisho she was on the line. It took only seconds them for him to answer. "Higurashi Kagome? I heard you were missing."

"I was kidnapped by Naraku. I got away, but I'm really scared that he'll find me … can someone come get me?"

"Of course, tell me where you are and I will be there within minutes," he said, as if it was the easiest task to achieve. She had to stop someone in the store and ask that very question, receiving the weirdest of looks, before the person answered the question so she could convey it to Inutaisho.

And, as if through a miracle, he was able to make what should have been at least a twenty minute car ride from Gami to the grocery store she was in only in two minutes, and on foot. He got to her right as she exited the bathroom - she had to puke. Even though she hadn't eaten anything since midday Friday. He wrapped an arm around her and led her out to the town car that he had called to meet him there.

"To Gami, now," Inutaisho ordered the driver before turning his auburn gaze to her. "What happened? How did you get away?"

"He took me to an apartment, said I… I… I was his daughter so he had a right to me and … then this lady showed up - a Kagura? - and I smashed her over the head with a vase and got out through the door before it could close. When it was closed it could not be opened. It … It was horrible."

"It's alright," he soothed her as he placed a hand over one of hers. "It's over. This will _not_ happen again."

Hearing Takamoru Inutaisho say such a thing with such conviction … in that moment, she believed it.

"Do you know where it was, this apartment?"

She parted her lips, fully ready to explain exactly where she had ran from, but as soon as she did her mind went blank. How long had she been running? What had she seen once she got outside the apartment? What did the building look like…? It all came up blank. Her lips pressed together as she shook her head.

"It's alright, we'll come back to that later," Inutaisho assured her softly as he squeezed her hand tighter, trying to keep the deeply shaken girl calmer.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Once again, Higurashi Kagome found herself inside the prestigious and ancient office of Takamoru Inutaisho, sitting on one of the chairs near his desk as he made a series of calls. There was probably no where safer in the world than Gami, Inc., and so she let her mind wander. To nowhere.

Her brain could not process what had occurred fully. She didn't want to believe she was truly half of that monster but…. She shook her head lightly as she raised her hand to the back of her head where it still ached. Her eyes shut as she tried to whip away the memories that had built up.

"Kagome!" tore through to her. She opened her eyes instantly and popped up to turn to see the door open and Inuyasha walk in, relief flushed him just as it did her.

"Inuyasha!" she replied as she ran to wrap her arms around his neck. He responded by wrapping his around her waist and pulling her into a tight embrace. He didn't even hear his father say 'I'll be back later' before he left the room.

"Gods, I was looking everywhere for you," Inuyasha said as he pulled away to look her in the eye. "Your roommate called me yesterday to say you were missing. I was able to get your phone company to turn on the GPS on your mobile but when I found it … it was just on the floor of some alley."

Her eyes shifted to his hand as he reached into his pocket and take it out to give back to her. She took it and slipped it into her pocket before leaning against him once more and shutting her eyes.

"Why the hell did you call my father instead of me?" he asked bitterly.

"I don't have your phone number memorized, so I called here and you weren't here but he was so … that's why."

"What happened?"

"Naraku took me," she muttered only to feel his grip on her tighten. It made her feel a fragment better. "To this apartment of his … and he said he … he said he was my father. I was his to take and do with as he pleased. He wouldn't let me leave and," she pulled away so she could look up at his face - catching the flash of disgust he couldn't hide when he heard that she _was_ Naraku's daughter. She tried to ignore that, tried not to be insulted and hurt but … she was. It took her a moment to take a shaky breath in and regain herself. "He said he wanted to destroy Gami and take over control of the sup community. That he wanted sups to rule over humans. It sounded like he wanted to turn humans into slaves…"

"That's not good," Inuyasha muttered. His eyes shifted from her to the door. If his father didn't know that part it was important that he found out soon. Unfortunately, Kagome misunderstood that gesture as… Inuyasha wasn't able to look at her anymore. Her eyes fell down to stare at the floor morbidly. "There are plenty out there that feel the same way. They think it's unfair that we have to pretend to be humans when we are better than them."

"Do you … think sups really are better than humans?" Kagome asked on a whisper, so quietly that he almost didn't hear it.

"I sure as hell don't think we're less than them," Inuyasha answered as his gaze return to her. She looked so fragile, so sad, so … so very upset. It caused a frown to surface while his eyes scanned her for any sign of damage. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Just hit me upside the head to get me there. Nothing serious. I don't understand… Why or what he wants me for. And … and," she closed her eyes, running a hand down her neck as she tried to form the worst of it into words.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said. He titled her chin up so she would be looking at him if she opened her eyes again. Gradually, she did. He was certain from the gloss over them that she was about to shed a tear or two.

"He said… he killed my dad."

He pressed his lips together before he wrapped his arms around her once more to pull her against him so she could start to shed those tears. There really wasn't anything he could stand less than a woman crying, but he wasn't about to try to stop her. Not after everything she'd been through that day.

All he could do was hold her and try to keep her from falling to pieces.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was so quiet. It concerned him, as he looked over the girl in the passenger seat of his car. Since she had briefed his father on everything she could remember - though, she couldn't recall at all where the apartment was - he was allowed to take her home. Inuyasha had asked whether that was a good idea. If there was something safer than allowing her to go back to the dorms of Tokyo U, but she had insisted that she needed to go back. She had a lot of homework to do before classes and she had a test that Monday.

His father thought it would be fine, since she was rooming with a werewolf. He had made her promise not to leave campus without calling someone from Gami to escort her and she had agreed easily. She didn't foresee herself going _anywhere_ alone _ever_ again. Even walking to and from classes was unlikely. It was lucky for her that Ayame was in most of hers.

Still, on the entire ride over she had just stared aimlessly at nothing. Not speaking a word.

She was the daughter of Onigumo, now Naraku. A man that Inuyasha detested with a passion. Someone who disgusted him to his core - someone he yearned to kill slowly and painfully. And yet, they had a tryst together for a moment in time. It was hard for him … not to think of Naraku now each time he looked at her.

It was wrong of him to think that way. It was wrong that he was so thankful that they were no longer having sex, but … he couldn't adjust to that.

It wasn't fair - his mind kept telling him. It wasn't as if she wanted Naraku to be her biological father. It wasn't as if she was any less disgusted by that fact. It wasn't as if she could help it. Just as he couldn't help that he was a half-breed.

Yet … he couldn't let it go.

Finally, he looked from her to the dorm building in sight, wondering how long it would take her to realize they were there. Then she snapped out of it to look around then out the window to see her school year home, then - ever so slowly - to Inuyasha.

"Thank you for driving me," she whispered.

"It's not a problem, Kagome," he assured her as he removed his hand from the wheel to place it on her shoulder. "Call me whenever you need someone to take you anywhere. Alright? I don't want anything to happen to you again."

He said that with such conviction that it warmed her heart and the way he looked at her … it made her feel like in that moment everything would be alright. That was why she did something so stupid.

That's why she leaned in and kissed him. He stiffened from shock, and the moment that her brain began to function again she snapped away and covered her mouth - her wide eyes stuck on him.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that," she said before running out of the car and to her dorm.

Leaving him in stunned silence to try and decide whether he liked that or not - the fact that she was Naraku's daughter made him want to say a staunch _no _but another part… one he didn't understand in the least told him he still did.

He just shook his head, obviously her mind wasn't in the right place. It was a mistake, she meant to take it back right away. That'd be all, he wouldn't think about it again. He'd pretend that didn't happen.

Just… that whole 'not thinking about it' part would turn out more difficult than he would have hoped.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: I wanted to update quicker so I made a short chapter. I also have internet now so I don't have to go somewhere to find it, which is nice. I really appreciated the review and message that anhimals sent me in regards to the chapter before last, thanking me for not leaving that one on cliffhanger yet I didn't read it until after I posted the last one (with a cliffhanger...) so here's to everyone who continues to review and wanted to know what happens next (and those who hate cliffhangers)._

_I appreciate every review, thank you._

_It'll probably be this weekend when I update again.  
><em>

_Next Chapter: _**Scared Stupid**


	14. Scared Stupid

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 14: Scared Stupid<em>**

Nights were consumed with daunting dreams of all that could happen - the horror of the knowledge she'd rather have lived without. She was… Naraku's daughter and it disgusted her to the core. Every so often that thought actually made her so nauseous that she couldn't eat, or if she had then she might vomit. Sometimes, it'd actually happen.

That was hardly healthy, she was certain of that. The severe lack of sleep she had gotten since the 'incident' - kidnapping sounded so much worse to her, so she refused to call it that, refused to acknowledge it _happened_. Nightmares took her each time she found slumber.

Nightmares filled with him … of what could happen if she were ever alone again.

"Kagome," Ayame had said to her once while she escorted her to work, with a deep frown. "I'm worried about you…"

"I'm fine," she had lied. Fine wasn't right, she was far from that, but she wasn't about to admit it. Worrying her friends was wrong, so she tried to avoid it - she failed miserably, but tried nonetheless.

"You don't eat as well as you should and I know you aren't sleeping well…" she had added, but Kagome just pretend like she couldn't hear her and thanked her for walking her before going into her workplace.

Both statements were true, and because of that she did a couple of stupid things every once and a while. Like … whenever she was with Houjo she'd accidentally flirt with him. It wasn't right, she knew it. She had no interest in him. He was just her back up plan if she never found someone she truly wanted to spend the rest of her life with. But, in those momentary times when he flattered her back, she felt better about everything.

It was selfish, she wished she'd stop.

As she promised Inutaisho, she never left campus without someone from Gami. Most of the time Ayame would take her to work and because of a warding spell that someone from Gami had placed on the building, no crimson eyed half-breed could enter the building. Only sups with permission could. Very often Akimoto Miroku would show up to pull up one of the seats spread around the small shop to talk to her while she worked. It was nice to have the company, even better that Miroku cared enough to do it.

It was the best of times whenever he brought Mio with him. All her worries disappeared whenever the little, innocent, sweet girl was around to play with.

Once Inutaisho came by, a week after the incident, in order to discover if her memory of where Naraku's apartment was happened to be better. All she could tell him was the view she saw of the Tokyo tower, otherwise how long she was running and from which direction was a blur to her. It wasn't hard for her to tell how disappointed he was to hear that…

"It probably is not all your fault," he had said, "I would assume he has some sort of spell cast upon it to make it hard to find, hence why we haven't been able to locate him yet…"

Every time she wanted to go out she'd call either Miroku or Sango up, and one or the other would always agree - though, she had only got them to come together with her out to eat once. It wasn't nearly as awkward as she thought it'd be. They seemed to be on very good terms with each other…

But she never called upon a half-breed by the name of Inuyasha for assistance. It'd just be too … too awkward for her. She hadn't meant to kiss him that day. It just happened, and she wasn't sure how she could handle being around him as 'just friends'. Not to mention that look he had … he had looked rather disgusted when he found out she _was_ Naraku's spawn. She couldn't deal with him looking at her like that again.

What was worse, was when she had to go home for her weekly Sunday dinner with her family and pretend like everything was perfectly fine - that she didn't know who raped her mom, didn't know the monster that was her biological father. But telling her mom would only upset her, only open old wounds that had scarred up a long time ago. It… was too much. She couldn't do that to her.

Yet, when a whole month had passed by without another 'incident' she began to feel that just maybe she'd be okay… and once a certain project was assigned to her in class she felt she knew the exact person to go to.

It was just the excuse she needed to see him again.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was a nervous fidget that forced her to straighten her shirt a couple of times as she lingered outside _his_ office, the currently empty one. Apparently she had come at a bad time, he had a meeting elsewhere in the building so Myoga had told her she'd have to wait until he returned. That was almost twenty minutes ago … she sighed as she swayed on her feet some - she had gotten tired of sitting down.

It had been three months since they were anything, and even when they were something she never felt so anxious - _nervous_ - about seeing him. It was stupid…. She had a real reason for being there. Though, she looked up from her shoes to Myoga, she supposed she should have called to schedule an appointment. He was the Vice President of Sales at Gami Incorporation, a very busy man.

"Hey, babe," caught her attention, cautiously, as she turned to see the always well dressed Akimoto Kouga grinning at her. It was supposedly a seductive one and worked on plenty of woman. She was proud to say she was purely immune to that. He was just so … creepy to her. Why Ayame still had such a crush on him was beyond her.

"Hello," she finally answered, withholding the urge to sigh as she looked away - hoping that was all he wanted.

"What are you up to?" he asked as he walked all the way up to her, letting his crystal blue eyes to move from her to the closed door to Inuyasha's office. "You waiting for the mutt?"

"Don't call him that," snapped Kagome.

A dull expression faded into view on Kouga's face as he looked Kagome up to down. "You're really brainwashed by that damned dog, aren't you?"

"No," she asserted back. She placed the clipboard she had brought with her on the chair to fold her arms and try to stare down the Vice President. "You're the one brainwashed into think that being so prejudice and _racist _is alright. Which is exactly what it is, to think that being a half-breed isn't right."

Kouga merely rolled his eyes at that. "If you say so."

"I do say so," she countered firmly. "It's wrong. I don't get why _you_ think that way when _you_ are a _werewolf_ and not a demon. If you were a demon that looked down upon him, that'd make a bit more sense to me."

"I don't have to be a demon to know that Inuyasha is below the actual full bloods, below me."

"Really?" she countered. "How's that? Because from where I'm standing he's much more. Every time I came to see him after work, he was still here until as late as eight and your office lights off - you were already gone."

"Ha," Kouga snapped, "that mutt just needs to work twice as hard as the rest of us to get the same results."

"If that's the lie you want to tell yourself then go ahead," Kagome answered with a shrug. That only infuriated him more, causing a growl to course out of his mouth as he clenched his fists.

Since nearly the start of the conversation, unbeknownst to either, Vice President of Sales Takamoru Inuyasha had arrived just around the corner. He stopped short to eavesdrop some, curious as to what the asshole Kouga was talking about and what Kagome was even doing at Gami - in front of his office no less. He hadn't spoken to her in a month, which surprised him. He had really expected her to call upon him to take her to and from places, but she never did...

As soon as he heard the growl from Kouga, he was certain he had to intervene, but before he stepped out her heard Kagome speak again.

"Why are you so intent in trying to make me think less of Inuyasha?"

He stopped in hopes to hear the answer himself. Kouga and him had always hated each other, but there was really no point in Kouga to continuously pester Kagome about it. He'd rather him stop. What if all that pestering finally got through to her?

"Because you're obviously too good for him. I'm just trying to help ya'. You have a great future here at Gami, but you need to pick your friends better."

"Inuyasha is a great, great, man," Kagome insisted. "He's _saved_ my life before. I'll always associate myself with him, happily."

Before Kouga got a chance to reply to that, Sesshomaru caught both their attention. "Akimoto, I need that fiscal report…" he stated before he looked up from his file to see who Kouga was talking to. His eyes scanned Kagome, dully. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting to talk to Inuyasha," she answered.

"I'm trying to explain to her why she shouldn't associate herself with a half-breed," Kouga asserted. "Maybe you can get it through her thick skull why she should pick her friends better in this company."

"Inuyasha's in sales. He'd be no use to you if you wish to continue your career in marketing," Sesshomaru stated. The fact that it was a purely business reason was an improvement from the nonsense Kouga had been spewing but…

"It's never been for my career that I've associated myself with Inuyasha."

"He's a half-breed. There are better people to be around than that, not that you're better. You merely a quarter," Sesshomaru replied, as if the notion was equally as bad to him. He was aware she had shikon blood in her, aware how rare that was, and aware that many forgave her impurity of being merely part demon because of that. He, however, didn't have to. If he was going to detest Inuyasha and other half-breeds for only being _half_ then he certainly was going to do the same for anything less than that. A quarter-demon seemed so much worse to him anyway.

"And he's a fucking dumbass mutt," Kouga grunted only to receive a smack upside his head from Sesshomaru. "What the hell is that for?"

"You're a Vice President of Gami Incorporation, yet you speak as if you are a sailor," Sesshomaru retorted, but the truth of the matter was something he'd never admit. As much as he _hated_ it - and really, he did - Inuyasha was _his_ brother and that meant that he was _his_ to mock. Not anyone else's.

Sure as hell not Kouga's, a man Sesshomaru had never even liked to be in the same room with let alone speak to.

That was when Inuyasha finally decided to walk around the corner. The conversation was just going in circles. He caught Kagome's attention and a smile crossed her lips.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked before he glared to Kouga, who just shot another back.

"I have a project that I'd like your help with," Kagome answered while she picked up her clipboard and wiggled it in front of him.

All he did was nod towards the door so that she'd go in first once. He closed it behind her and got to his desk. She took a seat in front of him and rested her elbows on it while she leaned in. He took the clipboard from her to look over the list of questions.

"I'm supposed to interview someone who has real world business experience and write a report over it," explained Kagome.

"I'm not in marketing," he reminded her, since he could still recall that was her major.

"It doesn't have to be someone in marketing," she replied.

He just nodded again as his eyes shifted from her to the list again. "Kagome… I heard you out there. I can defend myself."

She was quite for a while, letting her gaze shift down. "I know."

"I appreciate it, though," he said anyway. That earned a smile and her gaze to return to him. "Who'd you come with here, huh? You couldn't have thought it was a good idea to come to Gami by yourself, right?"

"Of course not," she had long ago learned her lesson. "Ayame is the same class. She came to interview Sango."

"Why didn't you interview her, too?"

"No two people can interview the same person."

"You could have gone to Miroku." She had either gone to one or the other the entire time. Never to him, so why the change?

"Yeah," she dragged out, "but interviewing the VP of Sales for Gami Incorporation is way cooler."

"That's true," he admitted with a lopsided grin. "So that's it. This school project is why you are here…?"

"Uh-huh," she said with a nod, curious as to what he was getting at. She had a legitimate reason. It wasn't just out of a whim she had come. She needed to finish her repot. Was he not alright with it? Did he not want her to bother him…? She hadn't considered that.

"Not to try and seduce me?" he taunted.

"No!" she gasped as she sat up straight. "Why'd you think that?"

"With that shirt," he nodded to her low V-neck well fitting green top. "And the way you were just sitting was begging me to stare at your breasts."

"Pervert," she snapped. "Th… that's not the purpose of the shirt. I just like it."

"Like how it shapes your breasts so well?" he guessed, only grinning more at the way his words flustered her. That wasn't like her, at least not the her he had known when they were fucking around. She always had a witty retort, not stutters. But, then again, he supposed they weren't fucking around anymore… so that did change things.

"I'll answer this stuff for you, in exchange you tell me why you never called me. You call Miroku, you call Sango, but not me?"

That stumped her right away … he cared? Was he insulted that she never called him to drive her around? She tried to answer, but when she parted her lips, she couldn't find the answer she was looking for.

"You think I can't protect you like them?" Inuyasha inquired with furrowed brows. "You think that I'm weaker than them?"

_Oh_, that made so much more sense. It was his pride that was on the line, not his concern for her well being…. She should have known. She smiled faintly before she answered, "That's not it. I'm sure you're stronger than both."

"I am."

"It's just that I didn't want to bother you. I know how busy you are."

"But you'll bother me with this?" he questioned with a cocked brow and a wiggle of the clipboard.

"For an A on this report? You better believe it."

He just shook his head. "When you graduate you want to work at Gami, right?"

"I think I'd like that. I'm not focusing on my biology major at all this semester. Would it be hard for me to get a job here?"

"No," he said, as if it was a dumb question."You did really well with your internship. Sango's recommended you as one of the interns to hire here. We hire all sups if they want a job with Gami, but only the best are allowed to work at our headquarters. The rest are sent out to our other locations in Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, Sapporo, Kobe, Sendai, or Hiroshima."

"That's a lot of places…"

"We're a big company, that's not even factoring in our sister corporations throughout the world. Now, do you want to get started on this list of questions or not?" He asked as he picked up the clipboard once more. She just nodded before she took it back and picked up a pen, ready to work.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was impossible for Sango to not notice the added make-up Kagome wore the night they had agreed to go out to a club together - really, it was more like Sango had to drag her. She hardly wanted to do anything fun since the 'incident.' Sango thought that getting her out for a night would help her get over what had occurred. Anyway, the added cover-up was below her eyes - she was trying to hide her dark circles.

Those nightmares were probably still bothering her…

And they were, it was starting to drive Kagome a little crazy. She would do anything to get them out of her head, to get _one _good night rest. It helped her studies yet hurt her at the same time. The longer she stayed awake the more she could study, but the more she almost fell asleep in class. She didn't have too much longer to go…. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Those were a couple of the reasons why she broke her oath to never drink again and let the first guy who asked buy her a drink. Then the next a shot, and then the one after that another … the more the warm, fuzzy, foolish feeling that the alcohol brought the more she felt she could really laugh - the next she felt she could forget the revolting truth.

She the daughter of a monster.

Dancing with whoever asked her was enjoyable. It allowed her to focus on something completely unrelated to her biggest worries - school and genealogy. Whenever a guy thought he could feel her up, though, she'd elbow him in the side and dance away from him. She'd do some stupid things, but screw someone…? No, she wasn't looking for that.

Then again, it had almost been four months since her last fuck.

"Kagome," Sango said, leading her to a standing table to give her a glass of water. "You alright?"

"Yes! This is fun, right?"

"Yes," she answered with a smile. "You feeling a bit buzzed?"

"Yeah," she said with a giggle before she stepped closer to Sango. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

It was that she said 'anything' and the fact that she was a bit drunk that she finally asked the question that had always bothered her. "Why aren't you and Miroku together? You've got Mio together and you were together but…?"

Sango was silent for a while, then finally spoke, "We had a fling, like the one you and Inuyasha had, nothing serious. Miroku's a player. I always knew that, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with him. I tried to deny it, tried to ignore it since I knew he wouldn't return my feelings -"

"No!" Kagome interrupted. "Miroku loves you a lot!"

She paused for a while before she forced a smile and continued her story. "Then I got pregnant. Miroku freaked out at first, but then said how he'd take full responsibility. I didn't just want to _be_ a responsibility … by the time I actually had Mio, I had gotten over my feelings. I had decided to just think of him like Mio's dad. He's a good friend, and the father of my daughter, but that's it."

"You two would make such a cute couple," Kagome complained with a pout. "You have such a cute daughter."

"Mio's adorable," Sango concurred before she wrapped an arm around her friend. "You don't have classes tomorrow, right? Why don't you come stay at my apartment for the night. It's closer."

"Will Mio be there?" Kagome questioned.

"This is Miroku's week," she answered with a frown. "It's always so lonely when she's not around."

What Kagome wanted to say was 'how do you think Miroku feels'? But she knew that was mean, even with a shot and two drinks in her. It wasn't as if Sango kept Mio most of the time out a spite, they both loved her very much… and, maybe it was better if she was at Sango's most of the time. Kagome did know how often that Miroku brought a random girl home, each weekend it was someone new.

Then again, she was positive if Mio was there, he'd never ever do that.

And, if he had Sango, she was certain he'd never have another 'new' girl in bed again.

But when her love life - rather, lack thereof - was the way it happened to be, she really wasn't one to go meddling in other's business.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Being the diligent student Higurashi Kagome was, she had scheduled an appointment with her counselor to make sure she was on the right track to graduate by the end of the year and to talk about what classes she should take next semester. It was supposed to be just like any other one but… when she got in and sat down with Miss Morimoto what she said first after examining her academic record surprised her.

Very, very much.

"I see you aren't taking any classes this semester for your biology degree," she said before she pushed up her glasses on her nose. "If you're no longer interested in pursuing a dual major, and wish to merely work towards your Marketing one, due to your extra course this semester, you'll be able to complete it by December. You could graduate then if you'd like."

"Really?" Kagome could actually complete her degree a whole semester early? Financially, that'd be nice, but did she really want to cut her college experience short?

"Yes, it helped you a great deal that you took a couple of summer courses, except for last summer," Miss Morimoto nodded. "If you'd like, we could start to fill out the paper work right now. I mean, if you don't wish to pursue your biology major anymore."

"If I started the paper work and changed my mind later would it be a problem?"

She shook her head. "No, if you didn't start the paper work for graduation now and decided later that you'd like to graduate in December _that_ would be a problem. If you change your mind later than I can cancel the paper work and there would be no problem."

"I'll start the paper work now then," Kagome decided with a nod.

She still had a month and a half before semester was over, so she had plenty of time to think about it. Graduating early would save money for Souta's college and the school year hadn't been as fun as the ones prior. She just had too many problems to go out and about as much as she would have liked.

But… did she really want to be done with school already?

**.oooOoOooo.**

Ayame, Sango, and Kaede conspired against her that weekend. They convinced her to go out to the club that all the sups from Gami loved to go to. It was an attempt to allow her to have fun, to celebrate the news that she could graduate early. Since she had given up her oath to never drink alcohol again, they all ordered drinks and shots together until someone decided to request a dance from Ayame, then another stole Kaede away.

Two came up at the same time for Sango and her. It was surprising when Kagome watched Sango decline the attractive man - saying she was seeing someone already. Had her and Sesshomaru become more than just a fling…?

She wandered off with the handsome foreigner that asked. William, he had said his name was, and from the ascent he was surely from an English speaking country - but which one she couldn't tell.

His handsome features were only accented by his deep blue eyes and short black hair. There was just something about him that made her heart go 'bump-bump' over and over again as they danced ever so close. She allowed his hands wander up her curves and back down again as he kept her near. The way he whispered sweet nothings into her ear only added to the pleasure.

"I'm from England," he explained when they took a break to sit down by the bar so she could drink some water. "I transferred to Gami, but I work at the location in Osaka full-time. I'm only here for a meeting. I'll be leaving in a day or two."

She just knew that he was a sup, like most in the club, but would it be rude to ask what he was? She smiled when she felt his hand slide down her back. "I've always wanted to go to England."

"It's beautiful," he assured as his eyes scanned up and down her. "Not nearly as much as you, though."

She smiled more at that comment as she leaned closer to him. The gap between the two ceased to exist when he pressed his lips to hers, sparking a passionate kiss that earned her arms around his neck, his around her waist. It was in that moment she was certain that night would end her nearly four month dry spell. She'd never had sex with someone who wasn't from Japan… it'd be interesting to say the least.

"I'll be right back," he whispered to her before she let him walk away.

A smile rose up on her lips as she watched him before he was out of view. She didn't even notice someone walk up to stand next to her until she turned around to take another sip of her water. Her eyes widened at the man standing next to her before she forced a smile for him, too. "Hello, Inuyasha."

"Kagome," he greeted. His eye moved over to the door the guy she had just lip locked with had exited. "Do you know what that guy is?"

"No," she muttered. It was weird, but she was bothered by the idea that he had seen her kiss another man. Not that he really had a right to appear so annoyed…

"Vampire."

"They exist?" Kagome awed as her eyes returned to the other guys direction. "I didn't notice any fangs. Aren't they supposed to have those?"

"They are retractable. The _whole_ razor sharp mouth of them. Vampires are really rare nowadays. There used to be a lot of hunters that targeted only them. They're almost nonexistent in Japan since they stay mostly in North America and Europe. They've got fangs, and a lot of 'em, and they're only charming so they can suck and fuck ya'.

"Kagome… I don't think you should go home with that guy. Vampires are the leading reason why nymphs are rare. They had an obsession with the taste of your blood and through drinking it they are able to walk in the sunlight. They aren't allowed to drink nymphs or anything dry anymore but… you should be careful. Their bite would still hurt, _a lot_." And, just in case that didn't get through to her, he added, "It's not like it's some sensual pleasure thing."

"Thanks for your concern," was all she could think to say to that.

"So, you going home with him?" he inquired begrudgingly.

"Maybe," she said with a shrug, "but … I'd rather be going home with you."

For a while he was silent until he looked over the club and said, "You should, then."

"I should what?" she questioned. She wasn't about to just leave with him without him telling her straight up what he wanted.

"You should come with me," he said while his gaze returned to hers. It was her turn to remain mute before she nodded her head and allowed him to lead her outside. He could tell that her hazels were wandering around in search of something on the street. He could only assuming it was where had he parked. "I walked here. I figured if Miroku and I drank too much I didn't want to have to leave my car here until morning."

"You were there with Miroku? I didn't see him."

"Last I saw him he was talking to Sango. It's rare that they are both out at a club together since usually one has to be with Mio. Tonight her grandpa took her," Inuyasha explained. He nodded down the street to lead the way back to his place.

"I think they should be together," Kagome said with a pout. "They make such cute babies."

He just grinned at that while his gaze shifted towards her, it was clear she was a bit tipsy. "If you say so."

"I do," she asserted. She laced her fingers with his. She was ever so pleased when he allowed it. "I'm hungry, are you?"

"I could eat," he answered. He wasn't sure what he was doing … but when he got to the club and realized Kagome's scent was in the air, he wandered around in hope - though, he wouldn't admit it - of seeing her. When he finally laid his eyes on her, she was dancing sensually with that goddamned vampire. It made his blood boil, every bit of him wanted to tear him apart.

Then they started to make out … gods, it took effort not to pry them apart and punch the guy. As soon as he got out his phone to make a call and parted with Kagome - though, he heard he planned to come back - Inuyasha decided to go up and warn her. The idea of her with another … he couldn't deal with it.

It was her idea, she had stated she wanted to go home with him instead. Now he was walking - hand in hand - with her? What the hell was he thinking? There was no reason why he should still give a damn about her. It had been ages since they had sex. He should be over it, but … he wasn't.

Instead, he was taking her to one of his favorite restaurants, Ten Ichi. There was something wrong with him, if this twenty-one year old _daughter of Naraku's_ was still able to have such a hold on him. He was getting soft - and he hated it.

But he didn't detest the feeling of her hand interlaced with his, or the way she placed her other hand on his upper arm as she mostly leaned on him while they walked, or listening to her as she blabbered on about this and that - mostly school or Miroku, Sango, and Mio. He sure as hell didn't hate how, once they were seated at rather intimate booth away from everyone else, she choose to sit on the same side as him instead of across.

Or how during all that, she had yet to let his hand go. It was only when their food was set down in front of them that she let him go to split her chopsticks up and start to eat.

"What have you been up to?" she asked, since he had been annoyingly quiet for the entire journey there. It had been her talking the _whole _way.

"This and that," he answered, grinning at the glare she gave him for his lame reply. "Mostly working."

"So … that all?" She asked as she lifted her tempura shrimp to her lips, pausing to look at him innocently. Apparently, that gave away what she really wanted to ask.

"Have I had someone else since you, is that what you want to know?" he inquired as he rested his arm behind Kagome on the booth. The way she looked away quickly and took a bite of her food made him think that as a 'yes'. "No. Kagome, there hasn't been anyone since you. I've been too busy."

And, surprisingly enough, uninterested in looking for a replacement.

"I haven't been with anyone, either," she admitted while she leaned into his open arm. "I've been focusing too much on school to have a social life. The results have been very good."

"Yeah? How so? Getting good grades still?"

"I dropped my biology degree and am just focusing on marketing. I'll be able to graduate in December, so a whole semester early. That'll allow my mom to save more money for Souta when he starts to go to school. Though, with the way his coach talks about him, he might get a soccer scholarship somewhere."

"In December? That's impressive. You're planning on doing what then? Get a job at Gami and move out of the dorms?"

"I'd like to get a job at Gami," she acknowledged with a nod. "I'd probably move home until Ayame graduates and then we'd try to get an apartment together somewhere, maybe with Kaede, too."

"That'd be boring," Inuyasha gripped, "living at home for what like … four months?"

"It'd allow me to save money, not everyone can be super rich, Inuyasha."

He just shrugged at that, it helped that he was an heir to a family fortune and had been working and investing in Gami for over two hundred years. "Since I'm rich, I'm paying for this dinner."

"Inuyasha-"

"Don't argue with me on this," he ordered and if he was going to act that way, then she couldn't say no. Now could she? Instead, she leaned in to press her lips to his. He returned the gesture a couple of times throughout the meal until he placed yen upon the check and grabbed her to leave with him.

It only took a couple of minutes to get back to his, but before the bellman could open the door for them, Kagome pulled him aside to lean against the cool building. There was a chill to the air that got her to wrap her arms around herself while she looked away from Inuyasha. He lifted a brow to look at her before she questioned, "What do we do now?"

"We could go back to the way things were," he said, hadn't that been clear that that was what he wanted?

"Well, if we do … I still care about you. That's why we split to start out with, right? To avoid forming feelings? Will you be able to deal with that? Because I'm not sure if I can ... be with someone I care so deeply for unless I was dating him."

He pressed his lips together as he slid his hands into his pockets and leaned against the building next to her. "Then let's … let's date … because it's mutual, Kagome."

And that was the closet he could get to saying anything more about the subject. It was enough to earn a smile while she leaned forward to grab his hand and nodded for them to go towards the door. That time they made it passed the bellman and all the way up to his floor. But from the way she wrapped her arms around his body and leaned her head against his shoulder almost the entire time, Inuyasha was certain of one thing - she was tired.

Probably not in the mood for sex. He withheld a need for a sigh, after all that time he was still not getting any. So he led her to the bedroom and watched as she let her dress fall to the ground before she grabbed one of his T-shirts to change into. Then she crawled under his sheets and shut her eyes, within seconds he was pretty sure she was already asleep.

He just shook his head at that as he went through the motions to get ready for bed himself. She wasn't even going to say 'hey, no sex tonight, I'm going to sleep?' That irked him some but when he came out of his bathroom to enter the bed with her, the look on her face was enough to make him forgive her.

With his arms around her, it was the first night in a long, long, time that Kagome got plenty of sleep without any nightmares. The cure she needed to stop being scared was just having him back. Someone she was certain could and would protect her from nearly anything.

Finally, she felt safe again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Now here's another update date, your welcome. Just kidding, I'm not that full of myself._

_Anyway wow, thank you for all the reviews. I really appreciate each and every one of them. I'm pretty settled with things right now, I think, but that could change if I'm given more work to do and stuff. Probably will..._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter (yay, they are finally dating, right...?)  
><em>

_**Next Chapter:** Dating Difference_


	15. Dating Difference?

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 15: Dating Difference?<em>**

Kagome was awake before her handsome half-breed lover. It was a strange thing, but whenever she drank she always woke up early the next morning - regardless of how late she went to bed the night before. For a while, she just lied there going over the night in her head again and again, smiling all the while. She was dating Inuyasha … they were _dating_.

It had been over a year since she last dated anyone - probably longer - but how would it work with him? It would be different than dating someone her own age. He wasn't even in school … he was a Vice President at Gami, Inc. Would that be a problem? She still had over a month left of school and had to focus completely on it.

Gradually, she crawled out of the bed to go out into his kitchen and started to try and cook him breakfast. The only problem with that that it was just a 'try', since he really hadn't any food in his cabinets. Apparently, he ate out more than she thought, which left her two choices: go get more food and cook for him or just get something to eat for breakfast. That was a fairly simple choice, since she was feeling lazy.

She just grabbed her dress and put it back on before going to the closest bagel shop. She ordered half a dozen, a tea, and a coffee before going back up to his. As soon as she got in, placing the keys she had borrowed on the stand near the door, and walked into the living room she saw Inuyasha was awake - yet in noting but his boxers. His gaze shifted to her then to the food before a smile crept up his lips. "I was wondering where you went."

"You have no food," Kagome said as she placed the drink holder and bag down in front of him. "Do you always eat out?"

"Usually," he said while he rummaged through the bag to find something. "What are your plans this weekend?"

"I need to study," she answered.

"Stay at mine," he said. He grabbed a cinnamon flavored bagel and leaned back on his couch.

"For how long?"

"This weekend," he suggested.

"The… whole weekend?"

"Can I make it clearer?" He cocked a brow before he bit into the bagel.

She was hesitant at first. "Alright."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Stay at mine this weekend so we could catch up. That was his suggestion at least, but it really translated into 'so we can make up all the sex we've missed.' Not that she was complaining too much. It was surprisingly nice to be in bed most of the time with him, and she did get him talking in between heated sessions of passion instead of just listening to her blabber on.

"So … you're my boyfriend?" she asked. She propped herself up on her elbows to look down at him.

"I don't want to be called that," he answered. His golden gaze shifted up to her - since they were just going to be staying in all weekend, she suggested he take off his ring. He only put it back on whenever the delivery person came to the door. His lack of food meant they had to order some whenever they were hungry.

"Why?" she pouted.

"It just doesn't sound right to me. It's not a term I've ever used."

"Then what term do you _want_ to use?" He wasn't about to tell her that she couldn't call him anything like that. If she couldn't, then he must not think that they were really 'dating'.

"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "Your man."

"That sounds funny," she said while she tweaked his ear, instantly earning herself a small slap to get her hand away.

"Boyfriend sounds funny to me."

"So then what? I'm your woman not girlfriend?"

"You're ability to figure that out on your own in amazing," he mocked. He rested on an elbow to be at eye level with her, a smirk upon his lips. She just narrowed her eyes on him before he leaned forward to give her a little kiss. Something was sparked from that little act, something that stirred within both of them, and it was enough to get her on her back again for him to run his hand up the inside of her thighs.

Her skin was so soft, so warm, so perfect to his touch. Passion took over as they joined their bodies together. His lips never once leaving hers - kissing her more and more the deeper he went below. He swallowed her moans, enjoying the vibrations they made all the while.

Honestly, Kagome felt like she was on fire - not only from the sensual sensations that Inuyasha caused to pulse throughout her but the general lack of air. His lips weren't leaving hers, his tongue was moving around with her mouth almost always, and all at once she felt more things than she thought possible - it went deeper than just sex, more than just sheer physical pleasure.

Her heart was pounding, warming her throughout within. She had feelings for the man pounding against her, the man pressed against her, the man kissing her passionately. So many feelings and so strong. Did he feel the same?

Yes. Very much, so many times before when he felt his release within her he didn't feel it was _complete_ that it was _perfect_ - near it, yes, but not it. It was only that time when he felt her ripple around him before her orgasm came to milk him free. He cared so much about her, acknowledging that gave him the release he had always wanted.

And it was bliss.

"That was…" Kagome managed to say after catching her breath.

"Yeah," Inuyasha answered after he had rolled onto his back. "Gods ... I don't know how I went that long without you."

**.oooOoOooo.**

"You're job's boring as fuck," Inuyasha grunted. He leaned back in the chair he pulled up behind the cash register to watch Kagome do some of her chores.

"Fucking isn't boring," she replied. It was so sweet that Inuyasha kept taking her from the dorms to her job each time she was scheduled to work. He always stayed to make sure nothing happened to her and complained bitterly about how boring it was.

"You know what I mean," he grumbled back.

"Miroku never complained like you. I miss him coming to visit me," she pouted playfully as she pulled herself up to sit on the counter in front of him.

"He only did that because I made him," Inuyasha insisted. It came out before he realized what that signified. He looked away, avoiding seeing whatever her reaction was to that statement. She could see that as meddling, as weird, or take it to mean he cared way more than he actually did. He cared … a lot.

Awe was what took her expression when she heard that, even when they weren't together it mattered that much to him that nothing happened to her? She just smiled. "You're so sweet."

"I'm not sweet," he bitterly said.

"Yes, you are. You just don't want to admit it. You're sweet and caring."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

He kept his narrowed gaze on her. Fine, if they were just going to continue arguing about it like that then he'd prove her wrong through actions. But before he could do that, he had to make sure of something. "Is your so-called uncle going to show up tonight?"

"I don't think so. When you say it like that, it sounds mean. He's not my 'so-called' uncle. He is."

"But he's not blood."

"He never was, even when I thought my dad was my biological father," she said. A frown surfaced at that thought which inherently linked to Naraku. It passed by so she could continue on. "He was his best friend. I've known him my whole life, and he helped in any way he could when we needed it. I always thought of him like family, ever since I was little I called him uncle. He's a very good guy. He lets me pretty much make my own schedule."

"Blah, blah, blah," he said. He got up to pull her to her feet and walk away from the counter - which was viewable from the outside. She just followed curiously until they were at one of the farthest stacks in the back. All of a sudden she found herself against it and his lips to hers.

The way his tongue worked her, the way his hands rummaged about, how he pressed his heat to her, it was all highly welcomed. She certainly could use a make out session with her boyfriend. She meant not to get so aroused, not to feel goose bumps forming just from his proximity but … gods, that was much harder to say than do.

In that moment it suddenly became very clear to her that he didn't intend to stop anytime soon. His hand slid down her back and grasped her thigh tightly to yank one of her closer.

He could tell she was nervous about the situation. She probably didn't want to flat out fuck in her place of employment. The way she kept pushing towards him and away from the book shelf made him think she was worried about how unstable the object was - to him, that just made it more thrilling. Any moment it could collapse if he wasn't careful. Well, if _they_ weren't.

"No," she whispered when she felt him undo her pants. He seriously wanted to have sex _there_ and _then_.

"Yes," he roughly whispered back before he parted away from her just enough to yank them down, with her panties, too. Then he worked to get his own to fall to the ground around him. She just bit her bottom lip, truly uncertain of what to do - her mind told her how stupid it was, but her body begged to allow it.

And, gods, she wanted to so badly…

She barely noticed what was going on, so when she felt a finger deep inside her all of a sudden her hips snapped up in surprise. He increased his speed when he felt her relax around in, letting his lips and teeth make their way up her neck and back to her lips - relishing in the gasp she gave when he inserted a second digit below to speed things up.

"Unbutton your sweeter," Inuyasha ordered. He hadn't any hands free to do it himself. One was ravishing her below and the other was keeping her propped up exactly how he liked it. Shakily, she obeyed to part her brow and pink patterned sweet apart to reveal her simple pink bra below. "The bra, Kagome."

It took more effort than she thought to unhook it and allow it to fall down so he could start to taunt a breast with his tongue. The motions were slow and around her nipple that stood nearly fully erect. He grinned when she sighed in frustration - he wasn't paying intention to her most sensitive part. He gave her what she wanted then to lick the pink skin tenderly.

She could feel the knot tighten inside her, a fantastic orgasm was about to hit her - the type she only got when it was her ever so skilled Inuyasha working her. Once he realized she was close, he only intensified his efforts, easily taking her over the edge she sought. Her arms wrapped around his neck before she let out her moan against his shoulder - trying to muffle it the best she could.

He had to hold her up nearly completely as she went off to never-ever land. Without him, he noted.

As soon as he was sure she was pretty much back down to earth, he grasped her hair in his fist to bring his mouth crashing down on hers again. It was a fever-inducing kiss that followed. When they parted for air he reached into his suit jacket to pull out a condom. It was true that they did it without one every once and a while but when he had one he sure as hell used it.

Especially since his father started to pester him about producing an heir. He didn't want to do that, at least not yet. So as much protection as possible was a good. When she noticed it in his hand her eyes widened - he wanted to do something more? Right there? In any moment a customer could come into the store and catch them - maybe even her uncle. Gods… it was wrong that it turned her on a bit?

"Inuyasha, I don't know… I think we should stop. I get off in only an hour -"

"I don't want to wait an hour," he asserted back. "You said you wouldn't come home with me tonight - that you needed to get up early and go to the library to study before a class."

That was true… so if she stopped it then they wouldn't get to take it up for a few days. She'd have to be on lock down because of all the coursework. She bit her bottom lip before she said, "Fine, take me and take off your ring."

"Why?" he said as he started his efforts to get the condom on properly, she was almost too distracting at times.

"If we're going to have sex somewhere that anyone could walk in on us - which is wrong - you might as well take your ring off. I love your golden eyes."

Well, when she put it like that he had no problem with taking it off and letting it fall to the lump of clothes on the ground. His real, liquid amber orbs, mesmerized her - she really did love them, way more than his faux auburn ones. He let her look into them for a deep moment before he pulled her into another passionate kiss. Kagome finally had the sense to pull his suit jacket off then yank his shirt apart so that the buttons would give way and she could feel his smooth, strong, chest. If she was going to be almost nude so would he - hopefully he wouldn't care too much that she rendered that shirt essentially useless.

The delicious moans he swallowed gave way to a gasp when he slid into her swiftly. Together their hips rubbed, she threw in a snap every once and a while to give them an added sensations. He only increased the pace to grind harder against her. Really, he didn't want to make it quick but considering the circumstances he couldn't drag it out. She let a loud 'uh' out each time he hit one of her favorite spots within.

Everything worked so well together, the way he held her up, mostly through grasping her ass, the feeling of her breasts against his bare chest, and the way their tongues mimicked the movements that happened with the lower parts. Her muscles clasped onto him when she met her climax, pulling him deeper until he let go himself. He kept thrusting until they were both ever so satisfied.

"Inuyasha," she whispered when she slowly made her way back to her senses. It was always a beautiful feeling afterwards.

"Gods, Kagome," he muttered back as he placed a small series of kisses along her neck. He was so flustered, just like her in that moment, both still feeling the bliss buzz of sex. That was why he said with such need. "I'm so fucking crazy about you."

"It's more than mutual," she whispered as she grasped his silver strands to pull his lips to hers.

In mere moments they heard the bell that signified the door was opened, he grabbed his things and ducked into the back room, she got her pants back on and her sweater buttoned up enough to enter out and greet the customer as if nothing had happened - even though her heart was still racing and cheeks surely flushed.

What she saw in return was surprising, there by the desk stood Miroku letting his violet eyes wander around. Once they landed on Kagome a sly smile slipped up his lips, he knew that look.

"Inuyasha here?" he asked, already aware of what the answer had to be.

Kagome just pressed her lips together as she walked behind the counter to pick up the book that he had ordered and place it in front of him. "I didn't know you were going to pick this up today."

"Uh-huh," he said with a nod. "You aren't wearing a bra, Kagome."

"Miroku," Kagome snapped as she covered her chest - apparently, in her haste, she had left it on the ground.

"You're secret's safe with me," he assured her. He pretended to zip his mouth before he unwrapped the book from its protective cardboard cover to reveal what it was. It appeared to be a lovely, yet aged, book filled with ancient fairy-tales and charming old fashion drawings. "It's for Mio," he explained, though it wasn't hard for her to guess that on her own. "She likes it when we read her bedtime stories, we're out, so I decided to order a new book."

"She'll love it," Kagome assured him with a warm smile.

"I think so as well. I'll just have to give it to Sango at work tomorrow. I won't have Mio until this weekend."

It was sweet that he was willing to do that, in her opinion, since Sango would get credit for getting the book most likely instead of him. Really… his adoration for both of them was touching. "Miroku… you love Sango," she stated, watching him flinch some at that, "and you love Mio… so how did you two end up not together?"

He parted his lips a couple of times before he sighed. "It's my fault, really. I was aware that Sango had deeper feelings for me back when we were having a fling, but I wasn't ready to be a one-woman man nor was I ready to stop having sex with Sango - she's very good… So I suppose I was just using her for my own enjoyment. I didn't love her, I cared about her like I would a friend, but not love."

She pressed her lips into a frown at that, if she had been in the same circumstance she surely wouldn't still love him - she supposed Sango really was off the hock.

"Then we discover she was pregnant, which was strange, since we were so careful…. I've had many flings with _many_ women and I never once knocked them up. I freaked out, I didn't know what to do - I had always wanted to have children someday, but I didn't think I was ready. Sango … she didn't. She accepted the situation, she told me she'd have the child with or without me, and it was my choice whether I wanted to be a part of the child's life. I had to make a decision soon. If I didn't take responsibility for her before she was born, Sango didn't want me coming back at a later date to try and claim some right as a father for her. It was reasonable."

"Very," Kagome stated.

He nodded. "Of course, I did take responsibility. Her strength through it all … everything made me care a great deal more for her. The day Mio was actually born was the day I fell in love with her. But it was too late, whatever feelings she had for me were gone by that point. We missed our opportunity, and neither of us wanted to jeopardize Mio having two parents that could stand each other for two that couldn't merely to try to have a relationship."

"I think you should just let go already," Inuyasha declared as he walked into view, though it was only more apparent from the popped off buttons on his dress shirt what they had been up to just prior to Miroku's entrance.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered harshly.

"Seriously, you've been in love with her for what? Almost four years now and are getting nowhere? It's not like that stops you from having flings with other women. You might as well just let go."

"Oh, yes, because _you_ are so good at letting go of past lovers, Inuyasha," Miroku retorted. "You should know how it's much harder to do than just say. Sango and I have moments every once and a while and then … we don't."

"It's alright, Miroku, I'm sure everything will work out in the end," Kagome assured him as she patted him upon the shoulder.

Then again, it was easier to just say that than be sure of it, too.

**.oooOoOooo.**

If Kagome wanted the big graduation ceremony she had always envisioned once she completed college, she would have to wait until summer since Tokyo U only had one a year. She was disappointed by that but, really, overly excited when she was finished with her finals. Those were the _last_ exams she'd ever take! She screamed giddily when her and Ayame left their last final together, she even jumped up and down a bit.

"Happy, are we?" her roommate said. "I'm kinda sad. We're not going to be roomies anymore. I'm going to have to deal with someone else for the remainder of the year…"

"But then we'll have a place together once you graduate," Kagome said. "An apartment for us. I'll save up money by staying at home and put down the first payment."

"I'd feel bad making you do that," Ayame said.

"Don't."

She already had her things packed and ready to take out of the dorm and back to her house until May when Ayame would be done and they could move somewhere together. Though, apartments in Tokyo were always expensive … she really had to save up some money.

"You starting at Gami next week?" Ayame inquired, already knowing the answer to it. After her so-called interview with Sango for an open position in the marketing department, she was offered a job with a great starting salary and good benefits. There was no maybe when she walked into Gami for that interview, Ayame was sure that her friend would get the job. Not only did Sango already adore her, but she_ was_ dating one of the VPs at it then. That and probably no one else worked as hard as her during the internship.

"Yep, I'm excited," Kagome kept up while she clapped her hands together. "I'm still going to be in a cubicle, but I can deal with that."

"You're excited about all the quickies you'll get with that _boyfriend_ of yours?" Ayame teased.

"Why do you disapprove so much?" Kagome asked. She could always hear a tinge of annoyance whenever Ayame mentioned Inuyasha. As her best friend, it mattered what Ayame thought and if she didn't like Inuyasha… that'd be awful.

"Because of everything you've told me. How he's still hung up on an ex is the worst part. Kagome, you're great, and you deserve someone who only thinks about you."

"I think he does now," Kagome said, hoping that was the truth. She hadn't heard him mention Kikyou once. Not in any of the times that she went to visit him at work did she even see her, and from all the talk around the office her marriage to Suikotsu was coming up sometime in the near future. Inuyasha didn't complain about it, didn't really flinch when the topic was brought up. So maybe … he finally let go of the past?

"I hope so, if he really does then I don't have a problem with it," Ayame assured her. If Kagome could get with someone as successful as a Vice President of Gami, how could she complain? A tinge of jealousy would arise, sure, but she'd still be happy for her friend.

"Me, too." She muttered so lowly it even got passed her werewolf roommate, before their conversation could change subjects she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket so she pulled it out to see it was her dear half-breed calling her. "Hey, you."

"Hey," Inuyasha replied. "You done with classes now?"

"I am," she giddily answered. "I can't tell you what a relief it is to be all the way done!"

"Great," she could easily tell he was far less enthusiastic. "How about I take you to a celebratory dinner then back to mine?"

It was really the 'back to mine' part that she knew he was looking forward to. She had refused to have sex with him or even go to his place the whole week before and the one during finals. She had to study, study, study and didn't have time for his nonsense. She was more than aware that fact bothered him bitterly, but since he obeyed it and didn't pressure her into submitting to him, she just adored him all the more.

"Sorry, I'm going out to eat with my family to celebrate." It had been planned for weeks and weeks. Her mother was so proud of her when she found out that her daughter would graduate a whole semester early from Tokyo U and already had a job lined up at such a well established and prestigious company as Gami. Even her grandpa went around gloating to strangers about the fact.

"Come to mine afterwards," he ordered.

"Sorry, I'm moving back home afterwards. You know, you could always come to dinner with us," she offered. It hadn't been a secret that she had been seeing someone, and her mother did want to meet the boy. She just wasn't sure how happy she'd be when she found out the age difference - though, she knew Inuyasha would lie and say something like he was only twenty six or seven. Still…?

"And meet your family?" He objected to that idea very much. "Kagome. I don't think we've been together long enough for that to be an option. I've never done the whole 'meeting the parents' thing."

"Never?" she awed, even she had done that and she'd never been in love with someone - well, not that she was in love with Inuyasha… probably not, at least.

"Never," he repeated. It was for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being those he was usually with didn't want him - a demon half-breed - to meet their parents. Or, as it was with his last love, the parents were dead. He hardly saw what was desirable about meeting the parents, either. They were always overly protective of their children and judgmental, right?

Besides, that would signify something strong in their relationship if they got to that level. And he wasn't so sure he could deal with that just yet. Though, his father had constantly been dropping hints since he discovered Inuyasha and Kagome were back on about how he'd like to have a grandchild or at least have Inuyasha settle down with a women. Preferably the shikon nymph Kagome.

The hypocrisy in that was blatant to him, never in all his father's life had he 'settled down' with a women. He had never been married. He just had children with two when he 'shared a moment in time with' as he had put it once.

"I've met your dad," Kagome stated. "It's only fair that you meet my mom."

"That's completely different. It was unavoidable that you would meet my father since he is the CEO of Gami," Inuyasha insisted. "I really consider him more of a sperm donor than a father, anyway."

"You're being a jerk," Kagome countered. "I don't see the harm in you meeting my family. It'd just be dinner, Inuyasha."

"I ain't doing it."

"Fine, I'll see you later then," she gripped before she hung up on him.

Sometimes, he could be _really_ impossible.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you for the reviews. **Please continue to review**. Hope you are enjoying the story and continue to. I feel like there was something else I meant to say in this AN but... oh well. This was pretty much a citrus fluff chapter, hope you don't mind.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter**: **Maybe Merry Matrimony **_


	16. Maybe Merry Matrimony

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 16: Maybe Merry Matrimony<em>**

Dating was such a bother. Things were less complicated - not really, but he kept telling himself that - when they were just fucking around. Now that they were officially and exclusively '_together,_' she got pissed at him for no reason at all. In his opinion at least. What the fuck did it matter that he refused to meet her family? It wasn't like they had been together _that_ long. It hadn't even been two whole goddamn months yet.

Now he had to endure her passive aggressive bullshit. It wasn't that she was giving him the cold shoulder outright, she just kept giving ridiculous excuses to get out of having sex. It had been nearly three whole _goddamn _weeks since they had done anything. At first, that was because of her finals but now … the last whole week it was out of some sort of punishment.

He _hated_ it.

That was what was burning in his mind, so much so that he didn't even notice that he almost ran into Izanagi and Izanami - the two top anything in the whole company, certainly in all of Japan. But he noticed just in time to halt to a stop. Together, the two looked perfect, an ancient noble aura emanated from both, and it was really intimidating to be in either's presences - more so when they were together.

"Inuyasha," Izanagi started with a nod, out of respect Inuyasha instantly returned to gesture a bit deeper than Izanagi had done it.

"I would like to make an inquiry into your relationship with the shikon nymph, Higurashi Kagome," stated Izanami, as if it was simply an inquiry into a business report.

"Uh," Inuyasha began, letting his dumbfounded gaze shift between the two before landing on the women always donned in the finest of kimonos. "We're together…?" Was that the answer they were looking for? Or did they want details? He didn't feel comfortable discussing his love life with them of all people. It wasn't as if they should care, either. Fucking around amongst coworkers was permitted at Gami.

"Since shikon nymphs are rare," Izanagi said to gain his attention back, "it would be good if she was bound to Gami deeper. It would be an advantage against Naraku. He still appears to want her back."

"She has a job here, she started Monday," Inuyasha answered - maybe they didn't know that?

"It would help your standing if you were bound tighter to her, too," Izanami pointed out. All she received in return was a more confused gaze and a bent brow, apparently he wasn't getting what they were hinting towards in the least. It had never been Inuyasha's brains that impressed them. "If you two were wed, it would be a win-win situation. You, as a half-breed, would be held in higher regards for being married to a shikon nymph. Her, as the daughter of Naraku _and_ a shikon nymph, would be bound to Gami in a way that Naraku could not break and she could not back out of easily. Not to mention she would be part of one of the oldest demon bloodlines in all of Japan."

It took a while for the shock to wear off, and the meaning of that to set in. Inuyasha asked, "You don't think that … Kagome will eventually sympathize with Naraku's way? Do you?"

The very idea was ridiculous. She was still sickened by the idea that he was her biological father, still had nightmares about the situation that he had to calm her after. As if she'd ever do _anything_ to help that bastard. He was offended that they might think that way.

"Yes," they both simply stated before Izanagi continued alone, "a shikon nymph with a full shikon - assuming Naraku were to give it back to her - would be very powerful and not even we, as gods, would want to have to deal with that. If it were completely tainted, as it must be in the possession of such a vile creature as Naraku, it would even taint someone as pure as Higurashi Kagome."

"Think about it," Izanami ordered before the two left to return to their top floor. He really didn't know whether they were telling him to ask her or just suggesting it - either way, he wasn't going to. It wasn't as if they were close enough, or had been together long enough, to even consider something like that. Gods, they were all so annoying.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was about the time that Kagome always took her lunch break, which she had been spending in her cubicle since she started to 'review her work' closer and 'try to get into the swing of things better.' At least those were her two most popular excuses that week whenever he wanted her to come up to his office or out to lunch instead. That didn't stop him from going down to her floor or leaning against her desk, but that didn't mean she had to pay attention to him. She just took another bite of her salad as she flipped a page in some file she was looking over.

Finally, he sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

Instantly, her hazels shifted up to him - awestruck. "About what…?"

"If me not wanting to meet your family yet insulted you," he stated. Apologizing, whether he meant it or not, was just the easiest plan of action. He didn't need her being mad at him anymore and he had something important to ask her. He'd hate to have the answer be a staunch 'no'.

"It did a little…" she admitted as she set her eating utilizes down and leaned back in her chair so their eyes could lock together. "It's just ... it'd mean a lot to my mom if she could meet you. And me."

"I'll go out to dinner with your mom and you sometime soon then."

"Really?" she asked with a smile. "You promise?"

"I promise."Even though he really didn't want to. He supposed that being in a relationship meant he had to do things he'd rather not do sometimes. "Kagome … I … uh, I want to ask you something…"

"Then ask." It was hardly like her Inuyasha to stumble over his words.

"Right…" he paused a while before running his hand through his hair and letting out an annoyed sigh. "So… will you…? Will you come to Miyajima this weekend with me?"

At first she was quiet, a look of surprise on her face, before she sat up straight and asked, with a smile, "You want to go away for a romantic weekend?" She'd like that, very much. Even though it seemed a bit contradictory, he had issues meeting her family - which was seen as a big commitment - but he'd be okay with spending a romantic weekend away? Something usually only steady couples did?

He made no sense sometimes, but she was fine with that.

"It's not a romantic weekend exactly," he said. "You'd be there more for moral support. I'd need you this weekend."

He knew it was probably wrong to ask this of her, but he also knew he spoke the truth. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get through the weekend without her there. All the same, he wasn't so dense that he didn't understand how cruel it could be to bring her along.

She lifted a brow and asked, "Why?"

"Kikyou's getting married at Miyajima this weekend," he grumbled, looking away to avoid the pang of pain that surely caused Kagome. "I'm required to go or else I wouldn't. I can bring a plus one and I want - no, need - that person to be you."

It pained her to hear that, and here she had thought that he was no longer hung up on Kikyou yet… if the notion of her marrying another still bothered him so much, how could she honestly say that it wasn't out of some sort of affection? That a part of his heart - she prayed it was just a small section - still belonged to her.

All the same, she supposed that being in an actual relationship meant she had to agree to do things she'd rather not… for the benefit of the other. So she forced a smile and said, "I'll go. How long are we going to be there. What all should I bring?"

"It's a traditional wedding, we'll leave work early Friday and stay until Monday." Thankfully it was a holiday, so Gami would have been closed anyway. "Bring your nicest kimonos."

**.oooOoOooo.**

It wasn't easy to get to Miyajima, they had to go by train then get on a boat to get to the small island that was less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It wasn't the first time Kagome had been there, when she was younger they went on a family trip to Hiorshima and took a day to go there to see what it was most famous for - its giant torji gate, which at high tide seemed to float on top of the water. The Itsukushima Shrine was one of the most beautiful ones she had ever seen. The fact that its main buildings were built over water only made it more appealing.

Yet, she knew that wasn't what she was there to see this time. No. She was going to watch as Hayashi Kikyou got married to her beloved Suikotsu. And stand by the man that was probably still a little in love with her all the while … she sighed at that idea. If only Inuyasha could love her as greatly as he had Kikyou…

"Hey," Inuyasha called out within their room - yes, _theirs_. He had neglected to mention that they'd be sharing one at the rather remarkable inn that the wedding would take place at. It wasn't that she minded at all spending the weekend with him it was just … the gloom he was probably going to be in the entire time wasn't something she'd want to deal with twenty-four-seven.

But him calling out to her finally snapped her out of it, enough that she finished putting on her kimono - a hard task to do alone, she had reminded him. The traditional kimono she'd wear that day was the one she had gotten for the ceremony that was held for all that had become an adult - when she had turned twenty. It was lovely in her opinion, with flowers and butterflies among clouds.

She was certain Inuyasha would call it childish or something of the sort. But she really didn't have many kimonos to choose from. She had actually had to borrow a couple of her mother's from her younger years, she was more than willing to allow her to take them when she heard she was going to a friend's wedding.

"Oh, I can't wait for your wedding day," her mother had taunted her before kissing her on the forehead. She said it as if she was certain the event was going to happen soon…. Kagome shook that thought from her mind as she entered the living room area of the traditional chambers - very nice, very large one, she had noticed - that they were going to stay at that weekend.

Her brows bent together instantly when she saw him pacing around the room in a red outfit. But it wasn't that as much as the fact that he was not wearing any shoes - or even socks - or his ring, it was his attitude that concerned her. When he noticed she was finally out, his golden gaze turned to her for a second, as his eyes moved from her hair in an up-do down her kimono then back up again.

"You look cute," he said.

"Thanks," she murmured before asking. "Why aren't you wearing your ring…? What if room service comes in or something?"

"This place is own and ran by sups. Right now only sups are here and there is a warding spell that makes humans avoid it and even forget how to get here. Everyone is going to be in their real appearance this weekend. It's another requirement," he gripped.

"Don't you like being this way better?" she asked with a curious gaze as she walked up to him to take both of his hands into hers. Whenever they were alone together at his apartment, he was always without his ring, which they hadn't done much of at all since she had moved back home. It was just … she didn't want her mom to know she was sexually active. If she spent the night at Inuyasha's, her mother would know. She probably suspected it, but still … who wants their mom to _know_?

That was another reason why Kagome hadn't mentioned to her mother that she was only going to the wedding because Inuyasha was going to be there - as far as her mother was concerned, Inuyasha was still in Tokyo that weekend.

"Yeah," he said. He clenched his hands around hers. But at the same time he didn't. Most full blooded demons could tell, ring or no ring, that he wasn't a full blood himself, but it was easier for them to forget when he looked mortal just like them. But when his features showed … they never forgot. They always treated him the same. He just couldn't explain that to Kagome, she wouldn't understand.

Just because she accepted him that way didn't mean that anyone else would.

And since he didn't verbalize any of that, she merely thought his awful mood was yet another side effect of the wedding … why'd he have to still care?

"I like you better this way, too," she promised as she leaned up to kiss him.

"Good," was all he said before he tugged her out of the room and down the stairs to the first floor. "There's going to be a celebratory party tonight, tomorrow will be the rehearsal dinner, and then Sunday the wedding followed by the reception. It'll probably last until late into the evening."

"Are we even going to the wedding?" Kagome asked before they could enter the room that clearly held the celebratory party. Plenty of music and loud talking emanated from within it. Inuyasha just cocked a brow to her question. "I mean, if it really is a traditional Japanese wedding then only immediate family should be there while the Shinto priest marries them."

"When'd I say it was a traditional _Japanese_ wedding?" he inquired only to stump her into silence. "It's a traditional _Gami_ wedding. That's why all the high ups - why _I'm_ here. When someone so high ranking in the company like the Vice President of Human Resources gets married to," he paused before he forced out the words, "to Deputy General Manager Shichinintai Suikotsu then it's a big event…. Traditional Japanese weddings are about binding two families together, more so than the bride and groom, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Gami weddings are more about binding two important members together to the company, more so than the bride and the groom," he explained. "Originally … the only reason that Suikotsu and Kikyou started to date was because Chairmen Abjin suggested it."

"Oh," Kagome murmured with a nod of her head. He led her into the room filled with sups of all sorts. It was shocking to her at first, she had never seen so many without the rings … but as soon as someone familiar caught her eyes she parted ways with Inuyasha - who had to do some mingling with fellow high ups - to see her. "Sango!"

At first, it didn't seem that she heard her friend call her name, since her mahogany eyes were zoned out at nothing in particular, but then when Kagome touched her on the shoulder she turned her gaze to her and smiled. "Hello, Kagome, it's good to see you. I'm guessing you've come with Inuyasha?"

"I have," she answered with a nod over to her half-breed. "What about you?"

"I'm here with Sesshomaru," she replied strangely as her gaze shifted over to said full-blooded demon. He was wearing a rather elegant, mostly white, kimono himself with his naturally long silver hair.

"As in … officially?" Kagome cautiously questioned. As in they had upgraded from just messing around and the occasional dinner out to full-fledged dating?

Sango opened her mouth to say something but then sighed and shook her head lightly. "I'm really not sure."

"Oh," she said softly. Her eyes shortly shifted around to see those who were around them, before they landed on the purple eyed man straight ahead who was speaking to some pretty girl that Kagome didn't know. She wondered how he would feel about the knowledge that Sango was there with Sesshomaru….

"Miroku brought Mio," Sango said once she noticed who she was staring at. "That's why … I don't know, I just don't feel right being here with Sesshomaru - staying in the same room and everything - when she's here. It's not like he's good with children. On the rare occasions that Sesshomaru and Mio meet, he doesn't know how to act."

"I'm sure Miroku didn't mean to make you feel that way," Kagome said.

"I know," Sango assured her, even added a small smile. "One of us had to bring her. It's not like we could've left her in Tokyo all by herself for an entire weekend. She's only three. Miroku turned out to be a surprisingly good father."

"Maybe you should have come this weekend with him instead, then," she teased with a nudge, only to watch Sango fidget some and look away. That wasn't the sort of reaction she had expected, more like a roll of her eyes or a weak laugh to get rid of the topic. So Kagome raised a brow. "Sango…?"

Her eyes shifted back to Sesshomaru to see he was walking away, still speaking to one of the gods, Hiruko, son of Izanami and Izanagi. She supposed it was safe to mention. "Miroku … didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?"

She sighed before she looked back to her friend. "You know that night at the club? The one where you and Inuyasha left together?"

"Yeah," she even nodded, in two weeks they'd have been together for two whole months. "Why?"

"Well I left with someone too," she cautiously, almost regrettably, said, "with Miroku. I don't know how it happened, but we relapsed and had sex again … multiple times that night. It's not like Sesshomaru and I ever established that we're exclusive or anything. I probably just drank too much…"

"Really? You and Miroku?" Kagome said giddily, almost jumping up and down some. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, Sango. Miroku's your baby's daddy."

"And that exactly why we shouldn't have. We can't start up something again when we have Mio at risk. If the ending is bad, it'd be awful for Mio. I know how badly she wants Miroku and I to live together - I don't think she really understands what that means. If we did … if we got back together and it fails then it'd break her heart."

"Do you want to get back together?"

"It's not like we were anything more than fuck buddies before we had Mio. We really only became friends during the process and after she was born. I … I care about Miroku, he's Mio's father, but I can't feel anything more for him."

"Do you feel something more for Sesshomaru?"

That stumped her for a moment before she looked back to the handsome demon. "I'm not sure. I'm not about to give my heart away to someone who doesn't love me back. I won't be doing that again. And it's so hard to tell what Sesshomaru is thinking, let alone feeling…"

"He asked you to come here this weekend _with_ him, right?" Kagome asked, only to receive a nod in return. "Then that's got to mean something."

"I suppose. You should probably go back to Inuyasha now," Sango suggested as she looked around for said half-breed. "I know he'd rather not be here at all this weekend."

"Yep," Kagome muttered before she did as her friend suggested and found Inuyasha once more. He was speaking to someone that she didn't recognize, but from what she gathered from the limited amount of the conversation she paid attention to, he was apparently in sales as well.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was weird to her how that night, when she was lying in the large and comfortable futon with Inuyasha … he didn't try to start something up with her. His hands never slid somewhere inappropriate, he never tried more than a simple kiss, he didn't even let his eyes wander around her body like he usually did when they were in the same bed. There was no hint at all that he had plans on having sex with her that night.

It worried her. They hadn't had sex in three whole weeks, which was killing her just as much as she thought it was him. Then they were finally alone in a romantic inn and he didn't want to fuck? That meant probably only one thing … Kikyou was on his mind.

She really hated that.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered when she awoke to an empty futon. When she got up to look around the room, it was empty. Where had he gone…? Gods, she hoped it wasn't to see Kikyou.

Why couldn't he just let her go?

Was it selfish that she wanted him to think only of _her,_ not of some past lover? She didn't think so … wasn't that the point of a monogamous relationship? She thought it was. It wasn't until she was dressed that Inuyasha returned, in the same outfit he had warn the day prior. When she mentioned that he just gave her a 'keh' and walked out onto the patio.

She followed him after a couple minutes passed by, to rest her folded arms against the railing and look out at the beautiful sight. Behind the inn was a series of hot springs that were visible from their room and beyond it was the green of the forest.

"You aren't alright, are you?" she finally asked.

"I don't know," he honestly replied. Did he enjoy the fact that Kikyou was getting married to another? No. Not at all. Did he still have feelings for her…? Yes, a little. But… he shouldn't, and he knew it. He sure as hell shouldn't have shown that to Kagome of all people. It was wrong to subject the woman he was with to this but…

She just frowned at that before she looked away. "Okay then."

"I want to be alright. I want to be alright with all of this. I want to not care what she's doing. I really want that, Kagome. I just…"

"Can't," she guessed. She didn't have to be looking at him to know he was nodding.

"Kagome," he drew out before sighing and leaning his back against the railing to look back into their room. "I shouldn't have made you come with me…"

'No you shouldn't have,' seemed too harsh to say to him at the moment, so she just shrugged her shoulders instead. She'd rather be anywhere but there, watching the man she cared so deeply for while he lamented over another.

"I appreciate that you came anyway."

"Of course," she murmured.

"Want to hear something weird?"

That got her attention and a lift of one of her brows. "I don't know, do I?"

"It involves us," he assured her, which got a weak nod of approval. "Izanami and Izanagi … they're being nosey. They want us to get together."

"We're already together," she stated stiffly as she stood up straight. "Aren't we?"

"Yeah, that's not what I mean," he said, wondering whether he should have brought up the topic at all. "They … want us to get married."

Her eyes widened before she parted her lips to say something, but nothing came out.

"I know, right?" That exactly how he felt when they told him that. "They think it'd be mutually beneficial for us and the company. It's really … weird."

"Of course it is! They shouldn't have any say in what we do."

"I told you already the gods get nosey sometimes, like how Abjin was with Kikyou and Suikotsu, and how both Bishamonten and Hiruko are trying to get Sesshomaru and Sango to lock into something more than just fuck buddies. But … while it's not unlike them to do that it's just … it's not something that Izanami and Izanagi bother themselves with. I haven't heard of them arranging people to get married. The other gods do that when they think it'll be beneficial to the supernatural community or the company but … those two are the highest ranking gods - highest ranking anything, really - in all of Japan."

"So … what are you saying, Inuyasha?" Surely he wasn't saying that they ought to get married just because Izanami and Izanagi said so, was he?

"I'm just saying it's weird," he answered before he folded his arms. "And I thought I ought to tell you, to give you a heads ups in case they start to tell you the same thing."

"Weird's right…. Want to know what else is weird?"

"Sure."

"You not trying to have sex with me last night," she said as she looked to him to gage his reaction. He just stared at her a minute before answering.

He wanted to groan, but knew better, so instead he simply said the truth, "I wasn't in the mood."

"We haven't had sex in three weeks."

"That's your fault, not mine," he asserted harshly. "With your stupid fucking finals and then your passive aggressive bullshit."

She just rolled her eyes before waving him off and returning to their room. She was aware that it was the last thing they needed to do right then - get in a fight like that - but it seemed unavoidable. It would have happened at some point that weekend…

**.oooOoOooo.**

They hadn't spoken much that day until he found her - whilst she was visiting Miroku and Mio - to tell her they had to go to the rehearsal dinner. She had half a mind to tell him to go himself, but… she was fearful what'd he'd do. It'd be the first time that he actually had to see Kikyou and Suikotsu together. She had noticed how he went out of his way to avoid them at their party the night prior.

When they were all finally sitting down to have the meal, they were on the opposite end of the table from the bride and groom. It was a long table since there were at least thirty people there plus the eight gods. And even though there was a lot of chitchatting amongst the guests, she didn't hear Inuyasha say a word.

"I'd just like to say a couple of words," Suikotsu announced after their food was finished. "I really am lucky to have such a beautiful, intelligent, strong, woman as Kikyou…"

And that was really the last bit of it that Kagome could pay attention to before she felt Inuyasha's touch under the table. At first she thought he was just placing his hand on her lap, which was a welcomed gesture, at least he was still showing some sort of affection towards her. But when his hand found its way under the slit in the side of her kimono to go all the way to between her legs, she withheld a gasp and tried to keep her eyes from widening.

Everyone was so quiet and focused on Suikotsu that she knew she couldn't scream at him. She tried to grab his wrist and pull him away but he was stronger and continued to touch her threw the pink fabric of her panties. Rubbing her gently to get her aroused, though she tried to fight the feeling very much as she pressed her lips together.

When a series of applauses broke about, she realized Suikotsu was done with his speech and apparently it was time for everyone to go. Inuyasha was quick to grab her hand and lead her out and down the hallway, until there was no one to be seen.

Which was the perfect place to start yelling at him. "What's wrong problem, Inuyasha? Why would you do something like that in front of so many people?"

"No one noticed," he assured with a grin as he placed his hands on her hips and backed her up against a door. "Besides, weren't you the one that was complaining early about me not trying to have sex with you?"

"That was under a completely different circumstance!" She narrowed eyes before she felt him pull her close, just enough that he could open the door behind her and back her into it, then close it again. She was fairly certain she knew where this was heading, if he wanted to be alone in a supply closet. "Inuyasha … let's just go to our room instead."

"But I want you now. A lot."

"Why all of a sudden?" Was it out of some sort of spite towards his former lover? Since he had just seen her with Suikotsu - her husband-to-be? It had to have something to do with that.

"Because I want to," was his simple answer, one that didn't give her any sort of satisfaction but ... she still allowed him to undo her kimono enough that he could spread her legs and slid a hand up her thighs to return to what he had started early, just that time with two digits instead of one. A muffled gasp refused to escape her lips, in fear that someone might hear.

In, out, in, out, swirl about, and just like she had hoped he added his thumb to stroke her sweet spot for added pleasure. Even while her hips began to move along with his rhythm, she felt utterly annoyed with him, not because he was teasing her and not giving her a full release - he always did that, she was used to it - but that… that _this_ was merely sparked out of something to do with Kikyou - feelings, jealousy, something? Anything…

Why couldn't he just let her go? Why couldn't he just think about her instead?

"S-stop," she whimpered. What if someone came by and heard them? It was all co-workers at Gami, all high ups. She really would hate that … but her body didn't act like she really wanted him to, perhaps if it did then he'd cease. Instead, he pulled his fingers out to lick them clean.

"Turn around," he said while he did just that, hiking her kimono up enough to expose her bum to him. He spread her legs before he plunged in, causing a large gasp to leave her lips. She shook her head some as she grasped the shelves around her for support, he gripped her hips to pull her more to him as he pushed in deeper.

Within moments, he had the perfect pattern to earn mild moans from her, in and out, then swirl. One of his hands wandered up to her exposed breast to fondle. His fingers pinched her erected nub then meshed it within his palm.

She gave up whatever was holding her break from enjoying the experience fully. They were obviously doing it, so she might as well take pleasure in it. She let the feeling of him within her consume her before she arched her back again, enough to grab his neck. It was tricky, but she was skilled enough to push him away enough so that she could lift one of her legs high and turn around to grab a chunk of hair and pull him close so he could plunge into her from a new angle.

He was the one that took that as a sign to clash their lips together.

It was flawless, their lips parted so they could both gasp for air right as they pushed into each other enough to trigger her reckless cry from ecstasy. The way she tightened about him caused him to do the same.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you for all the reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy Toyfriend. Right now I'll just focus on Damned Deed, Diagnosed: Terminal & Needing him, and this story._

_Please continue to review.  
><em>

_Next Chapter: **Mixed Signals**__  
><em>


	17. Mixed Signals

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 17: Mixed Signals<em>**

Her eyes willed her to let them shut, but instead she continued to lie on her side, facing the man resting in the same futon as her. His golden gaze was fixated on the ceiling. She didn't know what had his mind so enchanted … but she was fairly certain she had a good guess and it was starting to drive her a little crazy. She had no idea how to properly address their problem - but it was a problem, a _huge_ one.

She refused to be second best to him now that they were together.

"Inuyasha," Kagome cautiously started as she reached out to touch his bare shoulder. "What happened to end you and Kikyou?"

He was very quiet and didn't really react at all. She was fairly certain that he hadn't heard the question … but then he turned his head to look at her. "What's it matter?"

"It matters when you're so…" she pressed her lips together before finishing the sentence, "hung up on her."

Again, he was silent as he turned his gaze back up to the ceiling. He rested his hands on his forehead under his bangs as he shut his eyes. "It's complicated."

"Don't give me that bull, Inuyasha. You owe it to me to tell me the truth."

He supposed that was the truth. "It … it was all because we didn't trust each other enough. We were together for a long time, but in the end, I guess we never really gave one another our full faith. Kikyou and Kaede are separated by at least fifty years in age -"

"What's that have to do with this?" Kagome countered, not wanting to allow him to get off the topic so easily.

"It does," he insisted before sighing. "Kikyou never got along with her parents. She pretty much raised herself and learned how to look out for herself - just herself. She was really determined to make something of herself, so she did whatever it took to rise high in the sup community and Gami. And … after my mother died, I had to do the same. I had to focus on how to help _myself._ How to keep myself out of trouble, how to make something of myself. We were good together because we were so alike like that, but … it was also what really got in the way in the end."

He stopped to press his lips together, wishing he didn't have to think about what had happened, hoping that that would be enough for Kagome … but it wasn't.

"And…?" she whispered.

"There was this shapeshifter," he grumbled bitterly. "He took my form and Kikyou really believed it was me … that I'd hurt her like it did. That'd I'd say such…" he shook his head. "Anyway, he actually physically harmed her, and she got back at me by shooting me -"

"She what?" Kagome gasped as she sat up to look down at him. He opened his eyes to look up at the shock.

"I lived," obviously, "she was hurt worse than me. She thought she was getting back at me for what she thought I'd done to her… Anyway, we didn't really talk about it - we were just really pissed at each other for a long while before we finally figured out what happened. But by then it was too late, we were done … and it all happened because we didn't - couldn't - trust each other."

"I'm … sorry," Kagome murmured as she lied back down, this time with her head on his chest. "I'm sorry that still hurts you…."

"I know you are," he answered softly as he placed his hands on her bare back. "I wish it didn't. I wish I could just forget … to let go."

"So do I," she whispered.

There really wasn't more he could say, so he just allowed the silence to take them again while she fell asleep upon him. It wasn't as if he cared more about Kikyou than he did Kagome it was just … sometimes, the past was too difficult to let go of - even when he wanted nothing more than to do just that. To be free from the ghost that always haunted him.

"Inuyasha," Kagome murmured, he could tell from her breathing and tone that she was half asleep, if not more.

"Hm?"

"I trust you," she whispered back as she nuzzled closer to him. "A lot, with everything."

Even though she knew that feelings still lingered for Kikyou, she knew … at least trusted him enough, that she didn't think he'd betray her with another. Not even with Kikyou.

"I trust you, too," he assured her back. He knew that she'd never go behind his back to see someone else, even when others tried to tempt her to. He was also aware of the fact that she really didn't have the ability to physically harm him, not that he thought she'd ever resort to that type of violence even if he had hurt her. Though he had to beware when he said something crude, since he was certain she'd slap him for that. He just … for once, really trusted someone he was with.

He liked that. He'd hate to ruin it.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was the day of the wedding. The one that she knew Inuyasha had been dreading the most. And now he was nowhere to be found? She had saved her favorite kimono for the last day, the nicest and most elaborate, and had to go to Sango to help her put it on - in exchange, she helped Sango put on hers. Yet when she got back to the room, she didn't find Inuyasha … and when she found Miroku he, too, hadn't seen him all morning.

Would he just run away from the day instead of facing it and getting it over with?

Did it really bother him _that_ much…?

Kagome hated that. She loved him and would never do this to him - force him to watch her lament over a past love. That's when she stopped in search to realize what she had just thought … she _loved_ him.

Gods … that was true. She had fallen in love with him somewhere along the way, even though she didn't want to - not until she was sure his feelings were only focused on her. Now she was in love with a man that still cared deeply for another.

"This sucks," she muttered to herself as she continued her aimless search around the inn for her elusive boyfriend. Eventually she did run into one of the Takamoru men, it just wasn't the one she had been hoping for.

"Why, don't you look lovely," Inutaisho had said when their paths crossed. His golden gaze shifting over her mostly baby blue and pink kimono. "Inuyasha's a lucky man."

"I'm glad at least someone thinks so," she said to herself under her breath rather bitterly.

She should have known that someone with hearing as good as Inutaisho would hear that. "He's aware of that fact, too. He might not act like it, but I am certain he knows that someone like you only comes around once in a blue moon."

She forced a smile in return, not sure what else she could really say without sounding arrogant or extremely annoyed with his son.

"I like weddings," he stated as he started to walk by. "I'm sure there will be another in the not too distant future."

Kagome withheld the urge to say a staunch 'not happening' in return to that as he left. She was aware that he was hinting towards and she hadn't been with Inuyasha _nearly_ long enough to decide something like that. It'd be years before she'd consider even getting engaged, let alone married. All she did was shake her head as she started her search once more. Her heart flew briefly when she finally found him - the only thing was he wasn't alone.

And the sight of him with Hayashi Kikyou was enough to make her heart drop to the ground. The fact that she looked beyond gorgeous in her traditional silk brocaded wedding kimono gown made it feel like someone was stomping all over it. How could she compete with that…? Her hazels shifted over the elegant gown to see it was covered in Japanese good-wishing symbols such as white storks, golden cherry flowers and pines which were all in gold and other colorful treads on the crimson silk background.

She was too far to be able to hear what they were talking about, but Kikyou was smiling brightly at whatever he was saying to her - he even had a faint smile himself. Then she reached up her perfect almost porcelain hand to touch him on the cheek before she said a couple words then… they hugged each other.

That was it, she didn't want to watch anymore. She walked away. After a few minutes, she was directed to the area of the inn where the wedding would take place. Soberly, she made her way in to see Inuyasha wave lightly for her to come sit next to him. Reluctantly she did, though she would have rather gone to Miroku and Mio in that moment…

As soon as she was by his side, Inuyasha muttered, "I did it."

She almost couldn't hear him over the giddy gossiping of the crowd around them. With her eyes fixated on the floor in front of her, she inquired weakly, "Did what?"

"I let her go…"

A finely sculpted brow rose as she looked to him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I talked to Kikyou. I told her I was happy for her and Suikotsu, that she deserved this … that I hoped she'd be happy - and after I was done saying all that, I realized I really am. That I _am_ alright with all this. That … Kikyou and I really didn't belong together. We were good, if not for her I probably wouldn't have learned how to start to trust another, but … Kikyou belongs with Suikotsu. He's good to her, better than I ever was, and loves her more than I could have ever. I'm glad that they're together."

Relief flushed her at that, she even let out a sigh as if to let go all her worries in one breath. That was what the scene she had witnessed was about? That was so much better than all the alternatives. She smiled at him then as she reached over to take one of his hands into hers.

"Just like she's glad we're together," he added as he looks over to her. "And … I'm really glad that we are, Kagome."

She smiled all the more at that as she interlaced her fingers with his. "I'm really glad we are, too. I'll always be right here, Inuyasha, by your side."

"And I'll always protect you," he said before the music started to signal the wedding would start shortly. With that, they turned their attention forward to watch what was about to happen. Something that they were both accepting of, finally.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"This is so nice," Kagome declared with a relaxed smile as she sank deeper into the hot spring. It was chilly outside, it was after all the end of December, but she couldn't turn up the opportunity to get in the hot springs that had looked so welcoming all weekend. It had been a task, but she had talked Inuyasha into going with her into the co-ed section after the reception was over.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began as she opened her eyes to look to him. "You know what tonight is - right?"

Of course he did, it was only one of the biggest holidays in all of Japan, the reason that Suikotsu and Kikyou had picked that date to start out with. All he did was nod in reply.

"I want to spend New Year's Eve at a shrine, at Itsukushima shrine to be exact."

"That place will be ridiculously crowded tonight," Inuyasha countered as he looked over to her. "And it'll be midnight in just a couple of hours. Why bother?"

"Because it's how you are supposed to do on New Year's Eve," Kagome insisted with a pout. "Please? Please?_ Please_? I want you to come with me."

He groaned, but he couldn't say no when she was looking at him like that … and he had forced her to come to the wedding that weekend with him. It would be hypocritical of him to not be willing to subject himself to an annoyance for just a couple of hours. She had to deal with his behavior for the entire weekend, and he wasn't dense enough to not realize how that had hurt her some.

He would have rather have just stayed in the hot spring for longer instead of getting out, feeling the brisk cold air, before getting back into the inn to change once more - and find his ring to put it back on. Then escort her all the way to Itsukushima shrine. He was right, it was very crowded for the event. It was tradition to spend the holiday at a shrine and it was one of the most famous in all of Japan. Many wanted to spend it at such a lovely location.

"Come here," Kagome ordered shortly before midnight, pulling him closer to her so they could face one another. "Thank you for this."

"Uh-huh," was all he muttered back as his auburn eyes shifted around to see all the people who were giddily counting down.

Then he felt her pull him down so that their lips could press together. He was more than fine with that. He shut his eyes and pressed back. When she pulled away she had a grand smile across her lips. "There, now you're my first kiss of the New Year."

"I can be more than just your first kiss of the New Year," he replied with a grin as he pulled her back for another. He could already tell that that night would be a good, good, night…

**.oooOoOooo.**

"Hurry the fuck up already, woman," Inuyasha ordered as he tapped his feet impatiently, watching Kagome as she gathered her final items to pack them up. "We're going to miss the next boat to Hiroshima with you going this slowly."

"Shut up," she retorted before she zipped up her suitcase and pointed at it for him to pick up. He did so, but only because he knew that him carrying it would hurry it along. As soon as they were outside the hotel there was a town car waiting to take them to the docks.

"I really like places like this," Kagome said with a smile as she looked out at the tranquil surroundings while they drove away. "When I have kids, I'd want to raise them somewhere like this instead of hectic and crowded Tokyo."

"Is that so?" Inuyasha replied dully. "I have access to the Takamoru home in Nikko. I'll take you there sometime for a trip."

"I'd love that," Kagome giddily stated with a large smile as she looked up to him. She couldn't help but ask, since he didn't give his opinion on the matter upright. "Do you … want children someday, Inuyasha?"

"My father wants me to," he grumbled. "But no, not really. I've never had the inclination to be a father, never got the appeal of having a bunch of little brats running around."

Her smile disappeared just like that as she turned her head to look at the trees that that passed by instead of him. It wasn't like Inuyasha was a young man that wasn't sure about that yet. Wouldn't he want them by then if he ever was going to? That would be a real problem if that was the truth, because she wanted at least one child, if not two.

**.oooOoOooo.**

As soon as she returned home, she got a call from Ayame inviting her on a camping trip that her and a few of the other interns had organized for the end of their winter break. Apparently, Kaede, Shippou, Kohaku, Sango, and even Mio were going along. She thought it was mad to go camping when the weather was so chilly, but Ayame insisted that it'd only make it more fun - they'd all have to be bundled up.

They would be camping in the Okanawa prefecture which was the warmest of them all. She didn't enjoy camping, but Ayame stated that it'd only be for a couple of days and Sango had already approved her time off. How could she say no then when using work as an excuse was no longer permitted?

"Can I invite someone?" Kagome had asked.

"If by someone you mean your boyfriend, then I suppose," Ayame had answered.

If Inuyasha would go, she was sure it'd be more bearable. She went up to his office on her lunch break to see if he'd agree.

"Mr. Takamoru's eating lunch with Mr. Akimoto in his office," Myoga told her once she arrived. The only Mr. Akimoto he would be on good enough terms to eat with had to be Miroku, so she went down to his office to find the two there, eating while they discussed something to do with sales.

"Kagome, what do you want?" Inuyasha inquired once she entered the room.

"That's hardly a nice way to greet your girlfriend, Inuyasha," Miroku said with a wag of his finger, only to receive a rather harsh glare from his boss. "How may I help you, Kagome? If you'd like to steal Inuyasha away, you're more than welcome."

"Thanks," she replied. "But I actually wanted to talk to the both of you about something. Ayame, Sango, a couple other people and me are going camping in a week - do either of you want to come with?"

"I don't get the point of camping. Why pretend that electricity and everything else that makes the modern world so great doesn't exist?" Inuyasha grumbled. "I remember when none of it did exist."

"I would love to come," Miroku insisted with a smile. "I know Mio will be there. Sango's not fond of camping herself, but Kohaku had asked her to come with and there really is little that she'd say no to him about."

"Please come?" Kagome begged with a pout as she placed her hands on Inuyasha's shoulders. "I'd really appreciate it. I'd hate to point it out, but you did make me go to a wedding with you for a weekend -"

"I made you come to a very nice inn with me," he countered quickly. "Not camping out in the wilderness in January."

"Please?" she pouted all the same. "I really didn't want to go to the wedding, but I did for you. You could do this for me, please?"

"You'd be an awful boyfriend if you didn't," Miroku had to point out, only to receive yet another harsh glare from his friend. "You know, Kouga loves camping, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to come with."

"Shut the fuck up," Inuyasha barked just as Kagome said, "that'd be great!"

Inuyasha's glare turned to her then. "Why would that be 'great'? I thought you couldn't stand the asshole."

"I can't," she assured him, "but Ayame's got a crush on him. She'd love me forever if I could get him to come with."

"I'll ask him to come along, then," Miroku assured her with a nod of his head.

"I can't let you be alone with Kouga in the middle of nowhere…" Inuyasha muttered bitterly. "I guess I've got to come now."

"I wouldn't be alone with him, plenty of other people would be there," she countered with narrowed eyes. "Do you not trust me, Inuyasha?"

"It's not you, it's him that I don't trust, at all," Inuyasha explained. "I don't even get it, I thought Kouga wouldn't want to get with anyone but another werewolf so he could have pure blooded werewolf kids."

"I think his interest in Kagome purely lies with the fact that it bothers you so deeply, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "I don't understand why you two can't get along…"

"He's a huge dick, that's why."

Miroku sighed at that … having his best friend and only cousin always at ends was such a bother.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Camping … camping was something Inuyasha was fine with back in the day when that was all he could afford and all that was really out there to be offered - when electricity didn't exist, when he hadn't a place to call home. Now he had a very, very, nice place to call home with all the amenities he could ever want yet he was stuck in Okanawa prefecture - which he didn't even like to start out with - with a bunch of interns, Miroku, Sango, Mio, Kagome, and … Kouga. The gods must hate him to have allowed that to happen.

He liked Miroku, he cared about Kagome, Mio was acceptable, and he didn't dislike Sango, but the rest of them annoyed the hell out of him. Kouga, of course, the most, then the fox demon Shippou for his annoying mischievous ways, then Ayame who was overly giddy about the fact that Kouga was there, and Kohaku and Kaede on the principle that this had all been their ideas. But he was there, as Miroku had pointed out, and might as well try to enjoy himself.

The only thing he'd enjoy was warming up by getting into his tent and fucking around with Kagome, but from the way she was laughing at whatever story Kaede was telling her made him feel like that wasn't going to happen.

"Me and Ayame are going hunting," someone said behind him to snap him out of his lamenting and turn his annoyed auburn gaze to goddamn Kouga.

"Good for you," he grumbled back, it wasn't as if he gave a rat's ass where the bastard was. The farther away the better.

"I bet I'd be able to catch a far better dinner than you," he said with a lopsided smirk. "You're probably rusty, eh? No skills left."

"Is that a challenge?" Inuyasha inquired as he started to spin his ring around on his finger. "I'm sure I could easily kick your ass at hunting."

"Boys," Ayame drew out, her worried green gaze shifting between the two. "Let's not start a fight here, alright?"

"Don't worry, babe," Kouga assured, flashing her a smile that could melt her hurt - which was exactly what it was for, along with calling her 'babe'. And it worked, Ayame went mute.

By the fire that Shippou had generously started with his fox magic, a pretty green one at that, Kagome looked over to her still annoyed man to see him walk off with Kouga and Ayame. Her hot and bothered man - the one that had complained the whole train ride about camping. Really, she thought he'd give it up but… nope. He was a bit bitter about it, even more so when he found out that Kouga had actually come with.

That was just another thing he blamed her for, since she had agreed to let Miroku ask him.

"How are things going with Inuyasha?" Kaede asked to gain her attention back. "You two have almost been together for like … how long?"

"Two months," Kagome replied with a smile. "It's going… well, for the most part. He's annoyed with me at the moment and he can be such a baby about things, though."

"That's Inuyasha for you," Kaede said with a laugh. "Not that I've ever really known him well. I was really little when Kikyou and him were together. They split about the same time my parents died, Kikyou took me in then. Even though she really didn't have to … we didn't know each other well, she didn't get along with them and they rarely let her see me."

"Kikyou looked really pretty at her wedding," Kagome pointed out.

"Yeah, she did. I'm really happy for her. Suikotsu is a great guy."

"That's what I hear -"

"Kagome," interrupted her from finishing her thought, with a curiously bent brow she looked up to see Inuyasha standing there - a strange look on his face.

"Yes?"

"Can we talk?" he asked with a gestured hand away from the others. All she did was nod before she waved bye to Kaede and followed him, farther than she had anticipated since he actually went all the way out of the campsite and into the forest. Far enough that she couldn't even hear the laughter of her friends.

"Inuyasha, what's up?" Kagome said when the silence became too much, finally that got him to stop and turn to look at her. That look… she didn't know how to explain it. Annoyance was part of it, disgust another, and something else…?

"Kouga told me," he stated, as if that should have meant something to her. Instead, she just bent a brow and let confusion seep into her expression. "Don't play stupid with me, _wench_."

Her brows bent together at that, he had called her that playfully before, but never with such an acidic edge to it. "Inuyasha… I don't know what you're talking about."

"So that's how you're going to play it?" He growled as he clenched his fists. "Fine. He told me about your two's tryst."

To that, her eyes widened as her lips parted - but nothing came out, she was too stunned to form any words. He … he honestly thought just because _Kouga_ - who hated him, who would say anything to annoy him - said that she and him fucked around that it was _true_? He trusted her that little?

She thought they had already established that they trusted one another… how could he take that back so quickly?

"You think I cheated on you?" she asked finally, annoyance laced in her words. "How could you?"

"No, I don't," he insisted, "because I know it happened before we were together but … but … damn it, Kagome. I can't be with you if you think fucking him is a'right."

"I've never done anything with him! He's lying!" Kagome cried out. "Inuyasha, how could you believe him over me?"

He pressed his lips together at that before he looked away briefly than back at her. "I don't want to do this anymore, Kagome."

"Do what? Argue? Because _you_ started it!"

"Fuck around with you," he corrected, silencing her instantly - causing a shocked and confused glaze to fall upon her usually pretty features. "Look, let's just say it's not you - it's me. I can't deal with it."

"What…?" was all she could think to say to that - how could this be happening? This completely blindsided her, there weren't any hints that she could tell that the was looking to break up with her… so how could this be happening?

"I thought I'd get over it but I can't. You've got that fucker's blood in you. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't. You're that bastard's daughter -"

"I can't help that fact anymore than you can that you're a half-breed!"

"I don't care!" he snapped back. "You have no idea what that's fucker has put me through, Kagome! I lost Kikyou because of him! _Kikyou_! I would still have her if not for him! I would have gotten married to her last week, not that other guy!"

"You said you let her go!" She shouted back.

"I lied! How could I ever let her go?" He growled before he took a breath in and ran his hand through his hair. "Then you forced me to go fucking camping when I didn't want to and… all the small things are really starting to add up - you can be so goddamn annoying. So fucking childish. I thought that the sex made up for all that but… damn it, it doesn't. I can't fuck you anymore without thinking - _Sesshomaru's_ put his dick here, too and now Kouga? _Fucking_ Kouga?"

"Inuyasha, I never -"

"Who the hell haven't you spelt with at Gami? Want to just fuck Inutaisho to get it out of your system, huh?"

Again, his words cut through her, again they managed to silence her as the sting in her eyes threatened to create tears. How … how could he be saying any of that to her? How could he think so little of her…?

"I… I…"

"There's nothing more to say," Inuyasha stated simply with a wave of his hand. "If Miroku asks me to stay at this bullshit camping thing I might, but just don't talk to me anymore. I don't want to be near you. Your smell really does make me want to vomit."

She just swallowed hard as he walked by her and back to camp, in moments she was on her knees, feeling a stream of hot tears trickle down her cheek. Could that have really just happened…? Did he really just say all of that?

Did she really disgust him that much? Annoying him _that_ much?

He just broke her heart in the midst of the cold forest, leaving her there to cry all by herself.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you for the reviews. **Please continue to review**. I really appreciate each and every review, whether it's long, short, or somewhere in between._

_I also have a bit of a favor to ask. If you know/have read my other story 'A Rose By Any Other Name' please go to my profile and vote whether you want me to continue the story or not. I am considering discontinuing it because I really only have a couple other chapters planned out, I'm unsure how to finish it, and it only got one review for the last chapter anyway so the interest in the story seems to be dead._

_I would appreciate all that.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter**: **Repetition **_


	18. Repetition

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 19: Repetition<em>**

It took a long while, she felt like hours, before she finally was able to gasp in enough air to cease crying. She pushed herself off the ground then, whipping away the fallen leaves and dirt that had collected themselves on her jacket, and started to walk back to camp. A part of her, most of her really, hoped Inuyasha wouldn't stay.

Then again, there was no way camping would be fun now…

She had replayed the words he had said over and over again, trying to see the logic in it, recalling any incident that might have hinted towards him feeling that way… yet she found little. Maybe she had just been blind, maybe she had only seen what she wanted to. Her hazels shifted up from the ground when she got back to see that everyone was crowded around the fire, the one source of light since the sun had fallen from the sky.

And one of those people sitting there was Inuyasha … why'd he stay? She just turned her gaze back to the floor as she wrapped her arms loosely around herself and walked onward, at first she thought about going to her tent - but it wasn't just hers, she was sharing it with Inuyasha…

"Kagome," a couple of them called out to her, but she ignored them - she was too lost in herself to even hear them.

"What's wrong with her?" Kouga asked as he turned her blue stare to Inuyasha. "What dipshit thing did you do?"

"Fuck you," Inuyasha cursed back before he stood up to follow her. It wasn't until she was around the tent that they shared - out of sight from the others - that he stopped her. "Hey, Kagome, what's wrong?"

"Are you kidding me?" she snapped, turning on her heels to look him in the eyes. "How could you ask me that?"

Bafflement spread across his face as he looked her up and down. "Because I don't know?"

"You're a jerk," she whispered harshly. "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you."

He furrowed his brows at that. It was clear from the redness in her eyes and the smell of dried salt that she had been crying - a lot, too. "Why? What the hell do you think I did?"

She laughed dryly. "Seriously, Inuyasha?"

"Seriously," he said sternly and slowly, "I don't think I did a damn thing to you all day, so don't take an attitude with me, woman."

Oh, she wanted to snap at him, to curse at him for being so cruel - but then it hit here. Even dense and sometimes stupid, Inuyasha wasn't _that_ dense or _that_ dumb. He would have known what he said would have hurt her … he even said that he didn't want her to talk to him - yet here he was talking to her? Trying to figure out what was wrong…?

Something was wrong, very wrong.

She took a shaky breath in as she held herself tighter, her brows bent together, before she asked almost too quietly that he couldn't hear. "Would … you ever break up with me?"

"Uh," Inuyasha started, a dumbfounded look on his face before he glanced away. "I don't know. To say I would never would be … I just don't know. I don't have a plan to do it anytime soon. Os that what this is all about?"

Yes and yet apparently not … none of that made any sense, but she still unwrapped her arms from around her to hug him tight instead, shutting her eyes and hoping that she had just had a horrible nightmare. When he held her back, lightly, she knew that it just had to be something like that.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Anger obviously pulsed through him after she finished explaining to him what had happened, within the warmth of their tent, yet not within his arms anymore - he had let her go a while ago to just listen. He just sat there, staring at her, without saying a word … and it was intimidating. She wasn't sure whether he was mad at her or whoever had tricked her into thinking he had said those horrible things - that he had broken up with her.

"Kagome," he growled, trying to restrain himself. "What the fuck? You _knew_ what happened between me and Kikyou and you said you trusted me! Yet you fall for the same goddamn trick! There are a lot of sups that can make illusions like that or it was a shapeshifter!"

"I'm sorry!" She swiftly stated, and really she was. She didn't mean to let herself get tricked but how was she to know? She had figured it out fairly quickly - granted, that was only because he came up and talked to her but still. It wasn't nearly as bad as what had happened between Kikyou and him.

And … apparently, that might have had a lot to do with her biological father.

"I can't deal with you right now," Inuyasha said as he waved her off and walked out of the tent. He was fuming, ready to snap and beat someone, so it was a good thing that it was Akimoto Miroku that he ran into first instead of his cousin or else there would have been bloodshed.

"Hey, what was wrong with Kagome?" he inquired, "she seemed very upset."

"She's an idiot, that's what," Inuyasha started. "Apparently a shapeshifter or somethin' took my form and said some pretty mean shit to her and that I wanted to break up with her. She believed that bullshit."

"Oh," Miroku slowly said with a nod of his head. "A shapeshifter or something…? Why?"

"I don't fucking know," he gripped back.

"And you're mad at Kagome about this…?" Miroku simply didn't see the logic in that.

"She said she trusted me. I even told her about what happened between Kikyou and me, and she still let the same thing happen?"

"Well, really, you could hardly say that. The situation with Kikyou was much more … extreme than just harsh words being spared. Kagome's a young girl, and your relationship isn't exactly stable - have you even told her you love her?" The glare he got in reply was obviously 'no'. "So she doesn't know where she stands with you. To fall for that trick wouldn't be hard. It's everyone's worst nightmare that the things they do annoy their partner so much that they'd leave them."

"Still," Inuyasha grumbled, hating the fact that Miroku always seemed to know the right thing to say. "It's annoying … she should trust me."

"I'm sure if this shapeshifter or whatever it was harmed Kagome, she would have known it wasn't really you," Miroku insisted. "This one was smart enough to know what she would believe - that you'd break up with her."

"Why the hell would I do that if I'm subjecting myself to fucking camping for her?" Inuyasha growled back. "I hate this shit but I'm here for _her_. If I had any intention of breaking up with her I wouldn't be here. Hell, I would have done it the minute she asked me to come on this fucking trip."

"Just talk to her, Inuyasha. She loves you, don't let this type of situation ruin another relationship for you," Miroku requested. He patted his friend on the back to head back to the tent he was sharing with Sango that weekend - merely because of Mio, she had pointed out to him frequently.

**.oooOoOooo.**

There was plenty on two women's mind to keep them from letting sleep take them, that was the only reason that Kagome and Sango were the last one's left around the campfire while it was fading to a dull glaze. The hazel eyed youth forced herself to stop thinking about what had happened so that she could look over at Sango instead. "So, what's wrong with you?"

It took a while, but she turned her mahogany eyes over to her friend. "Huh?"

"You don't look so good, so why don't you just tell me what's bothering you? It might help." And it was surely get Kagome's mind off of her problems.

Sango swallowed before she pressed her lips together and looked back to the dull flames, debating whether to say anything or not. "I … I think I'm pregnant."

That was far from what Kagome had expected - she had thought that it had to do with Miroku sharing a tent with her, that maybe old feelings were stirred up, but … wow. That was so much bigger. She parted her lips a couple of times, trying to figure out what was the right thing to say. "… Congratulations?"

"It's a problem," Sango somberly corrected her. "If I did the math correctly, the father could be either Miroku or Sesshomaru… I slept with them around the same time. I hate that I'm one of _those_ girls that can't figure out who her baby's daddy is. Gods … what if it is Miroku's _again_? I hate this. I wanted to actually be in a stable relationship, preferably _married_, before I had another child."

"How … sure are you?"

"I started to suspect it after I missed two periods, then there were other signs … and so I took one of those home tests and it came back positive. I've got a doctor's appoint for when we get back to confirm it, but … I'm pretty certain." She shook her head lightly as she stood up and wished her friend a good night then headed over to her tent, where Miroku and Mio were already sound asleep.

Kagome hadn't too much quiet time to lament about her own situation before Inuyasha sat down next to her, catching her full attention.

"That sucks for Sango," Inuyasha said.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop, it's rude," Kagome countered. It was also an extremely private conversation that Sango surely didn't want to share with others. Inuyasha and her had never been friends, after all. Merely acquaintances due to the fact that Miroku was connected to both of them.

"I can't help that I have great hearing," he grumbled back. "I could have heard her if I was in our tent."

She didn't want to talk to him about Sango's situation and it bothered her that he thought that was alright - to pretend as if nothing had happened. But before she could verbalize any of that, she felt him pull her into his lap and wrap his arms around her. That was enough to make her feel fine.

"Kagome…" he cautiously started, but he couldn't get anywhere, she interrupted him.

"I love you," she said while she rested her head against his chest. "I really do … and I do trust you, I promise. It's just … I was so scared that…"

"Kagome," he murmured again, forcing her to stop. He had to take a moment to process what she had just said - she _loved_ him. Did he love her, too? He wasn't sure and he wasn't about to say it just to be able to say he had. Instead he went a different route. "I care for you, a lot, I really do…. I have no intention of breaking up with you, a'right?"

"I'm sorry I thought you -"

"Don't be. Just don't let it happen again. It's alright because … when I stopped to think about it, if the same had happened to me, I would've believed you wanted to break up with me, too. I promise I'll figure out who did this."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome slowly started as she shut her eyes, she already knew it was a bad idea but she just _had_ to ask. "That thing that took your form … it said that Naraku was the one … that ripped you and Kikyou apart." She could feel him tense up around her and felt the anxiety of the silence.

"He was. But back then we knew him as Onigumo. I don't know how or when but he formed an obsession with Kikyou and so… he did that."

"Do you think it was him this time, too?"

"I don't know…" he muttered, and that was the truth - would Naraku do that? Just to hurt them, instead of trying to take Kagome again? Would he do something that was so weak, obviously the two would talk and figure out it was a trick … unless he just thought Inuyasha would let the past repeat itself. No. Inuyasha was fairly certain that it wasn't Naraku this time. He wouldn't have just spared spiteful words, if he was able to get that close to Kagome without anyone noticing he would have done far worse.

"How about this," he started, in need of a bit lighter subject. "If I ever want to really break up with you I'll use a 'safe word' type of thing, so you know it's really me. Mine'll be banana."

That got a smile to surface on her lips. "Banana? Really, Inuyasha?"

"I _hate_ them so I'd never talk about them otherwise," he replied. "The texture … the taste … the smell when they've sat out too long - it's nasty."

"Alright," she said with a bit of a laugh. "Then mine will be … chipmunk. We live in a big city, when will I ever have to use that word?"

"Chipmunk? Alright, if you say so. How about we go to bed? It's been a long day."

"That sounds good." She couldn't think of anywhere in the word she'd rather be than asleep in his arms.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Hand in hand, Kagome forced Inuyasha to go on a hike with her the next day. If they were going to be out camping they might as well do something camping like things, right? He grumbled then gave in when she told him that Miroku was going with them, and Mio, too. For the start of the walk, nothing could be heard but the sounds of nature around them and the giddy giggles from Mio as she found a frog, leaf, or anything else she thought was interesting.

Kagome was content, just having her fingers interlaced with Inuyasha's, and walking by his side. Though the zoned out expression on Miroku's face was concerning. Enough so that she broke the silence. "Miroku, what's wrong?"

He blinked a couple of times before looking to her and forcing a smile. "Oh, nothing…"

"Are you sure?"

He parted his lips to say 'of course' but something else entirely came out. "No."

"What'd you do this time?" Inuyasha inquired, only to feel a jab in his side from his girlfriend. "Ow, it's almost always his fault."

"I'm afraid it might be this time, too…" Miroku murmured then tried to continue. "Sango … Sango may be … well…"

"Pregnant, again," Inuyasha stated which earned a harsh glare from his usually mellow friend.

"Eavesdropping is rude, Inuyasha. That was a private conversation she and I had this morning -"

"I didn't know you two talked this morning," he bickered back.

"He eavesdropped last night when Sango told me," Kagome said. Miroku didn't seem surprised to hear that Sango had confided in her first. "So … how do you feel about that? You might be a daddy again."

"Yeah," he said as his attention turned back to Mio. She was farther up the path, picking up whatever rock she thought was pretty. "I would like that. I really enjoy fatherhood, but … I always thought that if Sango and I had another child together, it would be because we wanted to, that we were together, not from a one night stand … not another fling."

"Not another ops-baby," Inuyasha translated, only to feel another jab and receive a harsh look from Kagome. It probably would be best if he just stopped talking.

"You two could always be together now," suggested Kagome.

"Assuming the child is mine," he said with a sigh. "If it was, we'd only be together now because of that…. Not purely out of feelings for each other. Neither of us want that. It could be Sesshomaru's … and we'd never get together if it were. She has feelings for him, and I imagine Sesshomaru's the type to do the respectful thing in a situation like this. Am I right, Inuyasha?"

"If Sango and him were going to have a kid together," Inuyasha cautiously said, "he'd ask her to at least live with him, probably. It'd make my dad and Bishamonten very happy to find out that they're having a kid together, too."

"Bishamonten wouldn't be pleased if it was mine, again," Miroku muttered. As if he needed one of the chairmen of Gami and a god mad at him like that.

And that was the extent of that conversation. Mio ran out to her father then to show him all the pretty things she had found. Giddily she explained what each was to him, as if he wouldn't know the difference between a rock and a leaf. But he listened, with a smile, as he knelt down in front of her.

"Miroku's a good daddy," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha. "I hope it's his."

"I do, too, but if it's Sesshomaru's I wouldn't be all around displeased," Inuyasha said, low enough that he was certain Miroku didn't hear. It was purely out of selfish reasons, and if he looked at it more from a friend's point of view, he wouldn't feel that way at all. He knew if the child was Sesshomaru's it would be the kiss of death to any future between him and Sango but … if he became an uncle it meant his father would become a grandpa. Finally.

"Why would you say that?" she asked as her attention shifted up to him.

"If Sesshomaru had a kid, my dad would leave me alone about the subject. He'd have that grandchild he's always complaining about."

She withheld the urge to sigh … he really didn't want children that much? That'd be a very big problem if they lasted longer. There was simply no way she wasn't going to have children. She loved them. She wanted a couple, but she supposed that wasn't something she had to worry about right then and there. They hadn't even been together for two whole months.

"Aw, look, a chipmunk!" Kagome said as she pointed to the furry little thing as it scurried across the pathway. Only to feel a hard squeeze of her hand and a glare from Inuyasha. To that, she just laughed and smiled all the more.

As if she'd ever break up with Inuyasha ... at least, that's what she thought.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Thank you for the reviews. **Please continue to review**. I really appreciate each and every review, whether it's long, short, or somewhere in between._

_I was so disappointed how many guessed it wasn't Inuyasha! Was I that obvious? It's always so sad when one fails to surprise. Well. I hope you continue to enjoy the story._

_**Next Chapter**: _**_Venomous Intent_**


	19. Venomous Intent

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 20: Venomous Intent<em>**

Silence seeped into the room around them. His golden gaze rested upon the empty plate in front of him and little else. For a long while, it had been like that, which he preferred it. Such occasions weren't something he ever looked forward to or even enjoyed. It was like hell. He doubted anyone at that table wanted to be there.

Then, finally, someone spoke. "The situations you get yourself into are strange to say the least."

All the speaker, the ring-less Inutaisho, got in return for that was a glare from his youngest son. As if it was his fault that the gods were cruel enough to give him a harsh fate in regards to his love life. The first women he ever felt comfortable with, the first one he ever loved, was taken from him because of what a shapeshifter had done and then it could have happened again?

Granted, this time it was far less severe.

"It sounds like the only goal there was ending your relationship with the shikon nymph," his father stated as he raised his glass of rice wine to his lips. "Maybe it was someone jealous. Someone who wanted her for himself. Many at Gami who could pull off such a trick."

"Yeah." Inuyasha had considered that, hoped that were the case. It'd be simpler if it hadn't anything to do with Naraku. If there was just someone out there that wanted Kagome single, he wouldn't have to worry about that. Kagome was more than content with him. He wasn't about to let her go without a fight. Unless she did something stupid again. He was a man with little forgiveness after all. But over the month since the event occurred, she had proven herself as smart once again, for the most part.

"Sesshomaru," Inutaisho began as his gaze shifted to his eldest son. It was an event he had forced to occur years ago. Once a month, they'd meet at his penthouse and all eat together. Neither of his boys wanted to be there at all, but at least they came. Sometimes … sometimes months would go by before they could all find a time that aligned, too.

"Yes?" he answered, letting his golden gaze move from his empty glass to his father.

"You're oddly quiet tonight," he stated simply, but it was apparent from his attempt to keep his smile at bay he already knew why.

"You have heard," he replied stiffly. "You know why I am."

"Yes… Bishamonten and I could not be more pleased with the prospect of our family blood mixing -"

"I do not want a half-breed for a child," Sesshomaru countered.

His father was silent for a while. "It would be part god, Sesshomaru, that's hardly something to frown upon."

"Sango's mother was a mortal," Sesshomaru retorted. "Ergo the child would be part _human_."

"There's nothing wrong with that," his father insisted. "If the child's yours, Sesshomaru, you _will_ -"

_"If_ being the key word," he snapped. "She had sex with her ex around the same time. The child could be Miroku's, again."

"You sound hurt by that," Inutaisho couldn't help but grin. "Do you care for her? Has my invincible son finally fallen in love?"

"Absolutely not," he gripped. He stood up to grab his coat and ring then left without another word. It had been a month since Sango thought she was pregnant, three weeks since she confirmed it, and two since they sent out a paternity test to see who the father of the child was. After all, Sesshomaru wasn't going to deal with a child that wasn't his.

"I hear Sango's getting a paternity test done. We should know within a week if you'll be a grandfather or not," Inuyasha said as he placed his napkin on his plate. Of course, as a friend, Inuyasha hoped he wasn't going to become an uncle but as a son? He couldn't be more thrilled with the notion. _Finally_ his father would have a grandchild and he would stop annoying Inuyasha about it.

He didn't want children. Not then, not ever, period. Obviously that was going to be a problem in his relationship with Kagome, since she didn't hide the fact that she wanted to be a mother someday but … they weren't together long enough to worry about that.

"I … would rather it be you having a child than him," he softly said, earning a cocked brow from his son. "Sesshomaru … you heard him, no father should say something like that."

"He doesn't even know if he's going to be. He could change his tune once it's verified."

"You seem fairly certain that he will be."

"He's had a lot more sex with Sango than Miroku has. It's more likely." It would be weird if all it took was the two ex-lovers relapsing _one time_ for them to produce another child. It was far more likely that in the midst of many of Sango and Sesshomaru's trysts, they forgot to be safe in the heat of the moment or something.

"Once I found out you were mine, I didn't think a thing about your blood," Inutaisho said. "Your mother was the most beautiful women I have ever seen. You're lucky to have her blood in you."

"Don't talk about her," Inuyasha ordered. "You don't get to. You _left_ her."

"It was a complicated situation, Inuyasha." And one they had been over thousands of time. If he hadn't forgiven him yet, Inutaisho was certain he'd have to deal with the fact that he'd … never.

"What makes you think I' be a better father than Sesshomaru anyway?" he grumbled. He wasn't going to become a father, ever, and having the request thrown in his face all the time was annoying enough. Certainly, with time, he'd have to deal with Kagome annoying him about it, too.

Though, that was probably going to be the kiss of death to their relationship. She wanted children, he didn't. That usually ended things, didn't it?

"Sesshomaru's a cold bastard. It's what makes him a good businessman and politician within the community, but it'd be a disadvantage in parenting. And I know for a fact you are far more caring than you put on."

"No I'm not." He almost squealed, but fixed his voice before it did.

"And Higurashi Kagome would make a very good -"

"Stop it," he ordered as he stood up. "She and I have only been together three months. Not nearly long enough to think about such things."

"I suppose you're right," Inutaisho said before taking another drink, while his son got up to leave without even a goodbye. Somewhere along the way, he had failed miserably as a father if _this_ was how family dinners always ended.

**.oooOoOooo.**

_Two_ goddamn family dinners in _one_ week? Inuyasha was certain he had been sent to hell. He hadn't done anything that bad, nothing to deserve this … but Kagome had insisted he keep good on his promise to go out to eat with her family. He had been wiggling his way out of it for too long, apparently, but he _was_ a busy man. It wasn't as if he didn't have anything to do. He had meetings with clients to attend, sales to make, amongst other things.

But … finally, she had forced Myoga to put down the dinner that Thursday in his schedule. So there he was, at dinner at the house Kagome had grown up in, eating a home cooked meal, and getting to know her family. He'd be perfectly fine never doing that. It was just so, so, so … awkward.

"So you work at Gami," her grandfather started with a pair of narrowed eyes. "What's your job title?"

"Vice President of Sales," he said, refusing to show how much he relished the look of awe that appeared on the old man's face.

"That's very impressive," her mother said, smiling.

"How old are you?" Souta asked.

Kagome looked over to her boyfriend, waiting to hear what his answer was. He looked like he was in his twenties but he could stretch it to say thirty - she just hoped he wouldn't.

"Twenty-eight," he said. "I started working at Gami when I was young, worked my way up quickly."

"That's cool," Souta stated with a nod before he started to pick apart his fish.

"What intentions do you have for my grand-baby?" Her grandpa asked. Kagome wanted to let her face fall into her hands, but she couldn't … she just shook her head and shot an apologetic look at Inuyasha.

"Good ones…?" He guessed that was the right answer, wasn't it? _This _was why he hated to do the whole 'meet the parents' thing. It was a stupid formality, it wasn't as if he'd say '_I just want to fuck her for a while_' to them. If someone had bad intentions, they'd just lie.

"Grandfather," her mother whispered.

"If you hurt my grand-baby, I will curse you," he warned as he pointed his chopsticks towards him. "My family comes from a long line of powerful Shinto priests."

"I'll keep that in mind," Inuyasha answered.

"You two met because of the internship?" her mother asked lightly.

He had to chance a glance tat Kagome for that one. The small nod she gave meant that was the story she had been going with. "Yeah, we did. Kagome did very well at the internship and caught my attention."

Around and around they went, Inuyasha constantly trying to play catch up with all the things that Kagome had told them about him - generally, utter lies. It was understandable, he would have been mad if she had told them the truth about them. That would, after all, be breaking a rather vital rule - never let the mortals know the truth. Granted, her mother wasn't a full mortal but … without her shikon, she'd only live a couple of years longer than normal mortals.

Kagome was different. Even without her shikon, she had demon blood in her. She'd outlive her whole family, but how long Inuyasha wasn't sure. If … they destroyed Naraku and gave her back her shikon, she'd probably be able to live around the same time length as him. Not that he was trying to plan out their future or anything like that...

"It was such a pleasure to meet you." Her mother bowed her head some to him, he returned the gesture.

"Likewise, Mrs. Higurashi," he answered.

"If you hurt my grand-baby, I'll curse you," her grandfather warned with a wag of his finger. To that, Kagome shook her head and let out a loud sigh.

"Right." Inuyasha nodded before he was finally allowed out of the house and walked to the top of the stairs with Kagome. "I'm going to have to do that again, aren't I?"

"Uh-huh," Kagome said with a smile as she took his hands into hers and leaned up to press her lips against his. "I appreciate it, Inuyasha."

"You better," he grumbled back then wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. "Do you know how you can show that appreciation?"

"Inuyasha," she murmured with a small shake of her head. "I told my mom I was going to spend the weekend at the dorms with Ayame so that I could spend time with some of my school friends. I'll really come to yours."

"I don't get why you're going through all this effort. You're twenty-one, a college graduate, and in a stable relationship. It's not like you've got to tell her you're coming to mine to have sex - just that you're coming to mine."

"But she'll know what that means," she whispered. "I don't want her to know. She probably suspects, but…"

"Fine," he said before he took a couple of steps away from her and down the stairs. "It's a nice house that your family's got here. It's rare for someone to be able to afford something like this in Tokyo."

"It's been in my family for generations," she explained. She glanced over her shoulder to look at it then the shrine. "The Higurashi family has had this property since before Tokyo became the capitol of Japan. The house was redone since then."

"So, what? Souta's probably going to inherit the house then?"

"Probably, but like I've said, I wouldn't want to raise a family in Tokyo, so that's alright with me," Kagome answered. Inuyasha's utter silence to that wasn't surprising to her - whenever she mentioned having a family, or child in general, he'd just pretend he didn't hear. It wasn't something they had to address yet…

"Can I ask you something, Inuyasha?"

"If I say 'no', won't you just ask me anyway?"

That was true, so she kept on. "Souta … I've been thinking about it a lot. Is he in danger? I know Naraku has a whole shikon jewel, but maybe he'll be greedy and want to get his piece, too…?"

"No, there's no shikon to get from Souta. Only two shikon nymphs can have multiple shikon children. Anything less, like merely a half like your mother, would only pass on her shikon blood to the first born child - you, in other words. So your brother's pure mortal."

"Oh," she chimed. "I suppose that's good for him, huh?"

"So there's nothing I can say that'll get you to come to mine tonight?" Inuyasha inquired as he took another step down.

It wasn't that she didn't want to. She pressed her lips together as she looked back to her house once more. She wanted to go home with him and sleep in his arms, probably fool around some, but she couldn't … probably.

"I'll walk down the stairs with you," she said as she skipped down a couple and interlaced her fingers with his. They walked down together, a grin on Inuyasha's face - he was certain he had won. If he could convince her without really trying to go all the way down the stairs with him, he could easily get her to walk to his car and then into it to go home with him.

He really didn't get the point of hiding the fact that she enjoyed - very much, he'd like to mention - spending the night at his place when she was a twenty-one year old. But … then again, he never had a close relationship with the only parent he had left when he was that age. Even if his mother was still alive, he wouldn't have a problem with it - at least, that's what he thought.

All his thoughts kept him from noticing, once they were on the sidewalk below, they weren't alone. It wasn't until someone spoke to him that he realized other sups were about.

"Takamoru Inuyasha," a rather feminine voice sang to gain his attention. "Where are those cute ears of yours?"

Inuyasha's brows bent together as he glared at the man - or woman? - in front of him. A demon, full blood, stood there with purple slits below his eyes and a hand on a rather large sword. That wasn't permitted., He wasn't wearing his ring - his pointed ears said as much - and he was using a weapon in public?

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked. He pushed Kagome behind him, as far as he was aware he had never met the person.

"To have some fun with you," he whispered back with a wink. "I'm sure you'd be a _gooood_ time. Let me properly introduce myself," he gave a small bow of his head, "I'm Jakotsu of Shichinintai."

"Shichinintai…?" Inuyasha repeated, he knew what it meant - band of seven. It was the last name that Suikotsu had began to use when they were all required to blend into the human society more. "Look, I don't know what you want, but you're in violation of a lot of rules right now. You have to wear your ring in public and you cannot just carry around a sword like that!"

"Hence why my loyalty lies with someone who embraces the fact that we are what we are and _shouldn't_ have to hide from the mortals who are below us," Jakotsu said. He leaned some to the side so he could see Kagome. "You don't look much like your father, other than the hair, that is."

"Don't talk to her," Inuyasha ordered harshly.

"I'd be perfectly fine with just talking to you," Jakotsu assured him with a greedy smile as pointed his sword towards him. "In your mortal form you aren't a match for me. Take your ring off."

"You … want to fight?" That type of behavior wasn't the norm anymore, back in the olden days demons would clash for little to no reason, but not anymore. And sure as hell not in the middle of the busy mortal city of Tokyo.

"I don't know how to make this any clearer," Jakotsu insisted before he charged towards them. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and moved to the side just in time to avoid the blade, he placed her behind a light post.

"If you have your phone call Gami, otherwise stay put here," he ordered before his gaze shifted across the streets. There weren't many people around but those who were had stopped to stare in confusion at the same in front of them.

"I don't have my phone…" Kagome murmured but it was too late, Inuyasha had gone back to try and keep Jakotsu occupied. As much as she would have loved to watch and make sure Inuyasha would be alright, a tug of her jacket caught her attention and got her to look down at a short man with red marks around his eyes, donned in a white hood and mask.

"You have a choice," he stated with his low voice, "to return to your father or … not."

He brow arched at that, was that even a _choice_? "Of course I won't!"

"Too bad," he chuckled as he removed the lid to the wicker bowl he had, releasing a purple mist to wrap around her before she had a chance to try and get away. As soon as the vapor worked its way down her throat she wanted to cough. Instead, she fell to her knees as she grasped her throat - it felt as it was on fire, as if she were suffocating … but there was a numbing tinge that coursed through the rest of her body.

"Looks like your girlfriend is done for," Jakotsu said as he stopped his sword thrusts to show a toothy grin. "Need a new one?"

Kagome was behind him, so if he dared to try and see whether what Jakotsu was saying was true, he'd risk turning his back on his enemy. In a battle, that was the worst possible option but … if there was something really wrong with Kagome, he had to risk it. He took a series of swift steps backwards - to try and get further away from Jakotsu - and glanced over his shoulder to see her collapse upon the sidewalk with a strange little white covered man with a box that emanated purple vapors.

Just as he _knew_ would happen, he felt a slice through his left arm, causing him to grunt and look back to Jakotsu who had the most sadistic smile upon his lips.

"You're blood is such a pretty red," he whispered.

Inuyasha hadn't the time for this, nor did he care any longer that about ten humans were watching what they were doing curiously - probably even called the cops by then - he removed his ring, dug his claws into his own wound, then sliced the blood like blades towards Jakotsu. Jakotsu screamed in pain before Inuyasha rushed over, grabbed Kagome, and leaped away.

Never had he smelled such a strange poison, but he knew exactly who would know what to do. In his half-breed form he was swift enough that even though he jumped through crowded streets the humans only felt a gust of wind - still, he knew in the back of his head he'd probably get in trouble for this. Then again, it really was a life or death situation. He figured he could use that to his advantage. He stopped just before he reached his building, shifting Kagome around on his back just enough that he could slid his ring on and walk into his building - telling the bellman that Kagome had merely drank too much, which earned a small chuckle from him.

Instead of going all the way up to his floor, he stopped short, and swiftly ran into up to the door he sought - knocking harshly on it with his foot until it opened up to reveal his assistant Myoga.

"Mr. Takamoru…?" Myoga inquired as Inuyasha pushed by him to enter into his living room and set Kagome down on the couch. Her eyes had been painfully closed the entire time. He only heard weak groans of pain out of her, too. "You're injured, sir."

"That's not the point," Inuyasha said as he glanced over to him. "Kagome's been poisoned, you need to fix that. I'm not sure with what but … it's bad, Myoga. Please be quick."

His big eyes widened at hearing that - his boss finally using a word like _please_…? Oh, it must be bad if he resorted to that. Without hesitation, Myoga took off his ring. In a puff, he shrank to the size of a flee and leaped up to dig his noise into her neck to began to suck out the venom. Inuyasha sat next to the couch, watching worriedly as his ward worked to cure his lover.

"If she dies, Myoga, I'll squash you like the bug you are," Inuyasha threatened, but no sooner had he spoke the words before the oversized flee released his grasp and rolled off her to bounce on the floor.

"I got all the poison, she'll just need to rest," Myoga groaned as he shut his eyes. "And so do I."

He kept his eyes on her the entire time as he stood up and took of his jacket then shirt. He found some bandages to start to wrap his wound in. Once he was finished, he noticed Kagome finally stir and rushed over to kneel beside her as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Are you alright?" he quickly questioned.

For a while, she was quiet, as her hazels wandered around the unknown surroundings before landing on him. A weak smile flashed across her face then. "What … happened?"

"I don't really know," he said. None of what had just occurred made any sense to him. He didn't understand why Jaktosu or that other demon decided attacking them in plain sight of mortals. He couldn't count how many rules they had just broken, but he had a guess who was behind it.

"That small thing," Kagome mumbled as she turned on her side so she could be face-to-face with him, "said I had a choice to go back to … Naraku or not. I said I wouldn't."

"Then he poisoned you?" Inuyasha's gaze shifted over to the still fat and slumbering Myoga.

"Ew… what is that?" Kagome whispered.

"Myoga. His true form is a flee demon, he's small, but he can also suck venom out of blood," he explained. "I'm just glad you're alright."

To that she smiled before she reached out to place a hand on his cheek. "I still feel kinda woozy."

"Yeah, Myoga probably took some blood along with the venom. You'll need to rest, once you're feeling up to it, we can just go upstairs."

"What's upstairs?"

"Myoga lives a couple floors below me, same complex," he explained. He reached up to cup his hand over hers. "Gods, I'm so glad you're alright…. I shouldn't have turned my back to you. I should've kept an eye out. I should've known there'd be another demon -"

"Inuyasha," she said to shut him up. "It's not your fault. You saved me. You didn't get hurt when you were fighting, did you?"

"No, nothing worth worrying about," he assured her. "Just get some more rest, a'right? Then we'll go to mine for the night."

"It looks like you win," she said faintly with a smile as she shut her eyes.

"Win what?"

"I'm spending the night at yours after all."

He supposed that was true … though, that was hardly the way he had planned on winning her over to the idea.

**.oooOoOooo.**

They had taken a half-day. It was needed in both their opinions, since they - rather, mostly she - needed rest in order to feel one hundred percent better from the attack. He had insisted he had to go to Gami that day to tell his father what had happened, though he was fairly certain he'd already heard about two sups showing themselves in public. He had to deal with it.

And if he had to go in, she might as well get some work done, too. Though, as soon as she got to her cubicle, she realized something - she forgot her purse in Inuyasha's car. The car which he had to go all the way back to her house to get. So she went up to his floor in hopes to get his keys so she could retrieve it.

When she got to the floor she heard his voice right away, shouting about something. She followed it and found him shoving Suikotsu up against the wall. Kikyou was there, confused and trying her best to cease whatever was going on.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out as she rushed over to him. "Stop it!"

"Do you know this Jakotsu jackass or not?" Inuyasha insisted all the same, his auburn eyes narrowed upon him. "It's a simple fucking question."

"Inuyasha, please, stop it!" Kikyou requested.

"Stay out of this, Kikyou. It hasn't anything to do with you," he retorted.

"How can you say that? You have my _husband _pinned against the wall!"

"Why won't you answer the goddamn question, Suikotsu!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome harshly said, enough that when she tugged on his arm - his injured one at that, though she didn't know it - he backed away. "What are you doing?"

"Remember those guys from yesterday?" Inuyasha's gaze shifted to her only briefly than to Suikotsu once more. "They said they were from the band of seven, Shichinintai, like Shichinintai Suikotsu."

Suikotsu pressed his lips tighter together. His eyes moved to Kikyou than back to Inuyasha. "Yes … I know Jakotsu. The other must have been Mukotsu. They are … my brothers, but I'm nothing like them. Not anymore, I haven't been a part of that for ages now."

"I swear to the gods, if anything ever happens to Kagome because of one of them, I will kill you," he warned as he pointed his finger at him.

"Inuyasha, that's hardly fair, that's like holding you responsible for anything Sesshomaru does," countered Kikyou.

"You're going to be fully cooperative - _helpful _even - in the search for your brethren, do you understand? I'm not only your boss here at Gami, but I out rank you." In the supernatural community, he needn't add that, Suikotsu was aware of the fact. All he did was nod his head then walked away.

"Was that really necessary?" Kikyou asked before she turned around on her heels to follow him.

"Was it?" Kagome questioned to gain his attention. "You can't help who your family is…"

She knew that all too well and she thought he did as well.

"Those bastards almost killed you. And now _I'm_ in trouble because I took off my ring in public and the cleaning department had to go out and find those humans that saw us and whip their memories. I don't care if I was mean to fucking Suikotsu."

"You had to, though. If you didn't that girl would have hurt."

"Guy," he corrected, "that Jakotsu person is a guy, Kagome."

"Really?" She awed. "Who would have thought? Inuyasha, how much trouble are you in…?"

"A lot, I have to go in front of the chairmen later today," he grumbled bitterly. "I'll defend myself, probably get a slap on the wrist. After all, if I didn't take off my ring, I could have gotten killed by Jakotsu and you would have died before I could get you to Myoga for certain."

"What would a slap on the wrist be?"

"A pay reduction for a year." That was the most likely punishment, but he didn't see it as such. He could deal with a half salary for one year, he had enough in savings to support his way of life.

"I'm sorry. I can't help but feel like this is somehow my fault," she muttered while she locked her hands with his to pull him close.

"Don't worry about it," he said. He leaned forward to kiss her upon the forehead. "It's really not that bad. It would have been way worse if something had actually happened to you."

If she had died…? He really didn't know what he would do - or even what he could do.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Here's another update for you, thank you everyone who has reviewed and will continue to review. I appreciate them all. I actually finally have this story fully planned out, since the start I've really only been going with the flow without knowing how or when I wanted to end the story-I just knew what I wanted to happen in it along the way. So I'm glad to finally have an outline, it's easier to write that way._

_Again, thank you for the reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy Toyfriend  
><em>

_**Next Chapter:** Shifting Situation_


	20. Shifting Situation

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 21: Shifting Situation<em>**

In May, Tokyo University finally held it's college graduation. But by then the idea of getting all dressed up just to get her diploma - which, she already had anyway - handed to her wasn't appealing. Her mother and grandpa, on the other hand, thought it was a brilliant idea. So … she did it anyway, feeling a bit silly all the while.

She supposed she might as well. She would've been there to support all of her friends that were graduating that day anyway. To her, May marked something else significant in her life. Something that she couldn't have been more pleased with … something that she was a bit surprised had actually happened.

For six whole months Inuyasha and her had been dating. She wasn't sure why, but she had always had a faint feeling in the pit of her gut that they wouldn't make it that long. That something would have happened by then to end their relationship, that one of them would have done something stupid, or just … something would get in their way but nothing did. For the exclusion of the poisoning that happened three months back, nothing weird had occurred.

Gami had been working around the clock to squash Naraku's underground movement of gathering up the disgruntled demons and other misfits that wanted to rebel against the system. They had heightened security around the building and made it clear to anyone thinking about bailing to join Naraku's faction that they would be punished severely. Some slipped away to do it anyway. There were plenty that were deeply displeased that they had to hide in the dark while humans ruled the world.

Many of them thought that they were superior. Humans were ignorant and would just wreck things if they were left in charge of the world. But most of them were content with the fact that the gods of Gami secretly worked the human political world to their liking. Few dared to cross them.

"Higurashi Kagome," someone called out, snapping her from her mind to walk across the stage to take her diploma, smile, shake the hand of the dean, and look into the crowd to see her family waving and taking pictures frantically. What caught her attention most was her boyfriend, Inuyasha, who sat next to Souta. He just grinned at her, a mocking one at that.

When she told him that she was going to take part in the graduation ceremony he laughed, thinking the whole ordeal was stupid, and taunted her about it for weeks. Regardless of how pointless he thought it was - she already _had_ her diploma, what was the point now? - he was there to support her all the same. It warmed her heart.

He was even getting along with her family fairly well, finally. Weekly they had dinner together at her house. It took a couple of meals before he felt comfortable enough around them. What really amused her, though, was the way her brother began to look up to him. How "cool" Inuyasha apparently was, and how much Inuyasha enjoyed that. Though he'd never admit it, he still went out of his way to do things for him like drive him to soccer practices and to school sometimes just so Souta could brag about his car.

Of course, if anyone wanted to constantly compliment Inuyasha on his car he'd like the person. Suddenly, Souta decided to be a "car person" as he had put it. But since he knew little about them, he had to get Inuyasha to teach him, which he was more than happy to do. After all, he could never talk to Kagome about it. She just went 'uh-huh, yeah, sure' or said things like 'aw, what a pretty car!' She didn't get it.

Somehow … things had just become perfect for them. Well, no, she couldn't go that far. Perfect was pushing it, since she still refused to constantly spend the night at his apartment while she was living with her family. He found that annoying and some nights she wished she didn't care so much whether her mother knew how active she was sexual or not, but … she still did.

Then there was the whole Naraku mess that had yet to be cleared up, but otherwise things were going well. They had reached the six month milestone and that was something worth celebrating. She just … didn't want to mention it. Instead, she'd let him - if he even remembered.

Doubtful, she was sure he couldn't recall when they started to date. For him, time moved differently, he was two-hundred and fifty after all. Maybe six months for him was nothing, maybe it had to be six years before he thought it was an accomplishment? But seeing as she had never been in a relationship that lasted longer than four months, she felt quite different.

He was officially the longest lasting boyfriend she had ever had … but she supposed that would have obviously happened. He was her first love.

"Now we're both college graduates!" Ayame cried out while she leaped over to hug her friend once she was off the stage as well. That was the best part of the graduation, it meant Ayame was finally done with school and she could _finally_ get a place of her own. They had worked out everything already and would be moving in next week.

Her, Kaede, and Ayame would share an apartment that was about a two hour walk from Gami but only about a thirty to forty minute train ride. It wasn't the perfect location, but it was a great price. One that three recent college graduates could afford. More importantly, that meant she could finally have all the sleepovers she wanted with her boyfriend without fear of judgmental stares from her mother on the morning after.

Things were going so well that she just knew something awful was certain to happen.

"Kagome!" she heard her family call out and turned to look at them as they moved through the crowd. Instead of lamenting on the possibility of a dark future, she smiled and greeted them as they all hugged her one by one.

"You look funny in that," Inuyasha commented low enough that he knew her family didn't hear. She just shot him a cruel glare. It wasn't her fault she had to wear the proper graduation outfit. But he was an ass half the time, she had come to accept that.

"You're jerk."

"If I'm such a jerk, I guess I shouldn't give you the gift I got you for graduation," he stated with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Well, I guess you aren't a _that_ much of a jerk," she corrected with a smile as she wrapped her arms around one of his. "So, what'd you get me?"

"I'll show it to you tonight, alright? After dinner with your family," he assured her with a wicked grin, a taunting one at that, he knew that making her wait was a bit cruel, but he took pleasure in the pout that she gave him. For the gift he got her, she could wait a little longer.

**.oooOoOooo.**

A clothe covered her eyes while she rode in the car with Inuyasha to finally find out what her graduation gift was, anticipation ate away at her, she was fairly certain that he was just being cruel in how much he was driving. Surely they were just going to his apartment where the gift was, so why did he keep driving around?

"Inuyasha," she complained bitterly, "you know I graduated from college a while ago. Why wait this long?"

"It's a dual purpose gift," he answered, chancing a glance from the road to see her continuous pout. Torturing her like that was only for his amusement, he got her a very nice gift, so he figured he could do as much teasing as he wanted.

"Dual purpose? If this is going to be a graduation _and_ birthday present you're being cheap, Inuyasha. My birthday isn't for another month anyway."

"I hadn't thought about that yet," he honestly said. Actually, if she didn't mention that he might've forgotten her birthday was right around the corner. "Six month anniversaries are a big deal for you women, right? So it's a graduation and anniversary gift."

"You … really remembered?"

"Of course I did, wench," he retorted, but in all honesty, he probably wouldn't have thought about it if not for the fact Souta gave him a heads up. Apparently, Kagome had been talking about it a lot lately. Six months to someone his age wasn't much, but if it was important to her then why not celebrate something?

"That's so sweet!"

"Yeah, I'm awesome," he assured her while he pulled into a parking space. Then he got out to walk around the car and help her out so he could lead her into the building and up the elevator to the eleventh floor. Once they were in front of the door he finally began to take the blindfold off. "Alright, you can look now."

Giddily she pried open her eyes to see a … door? A door in front of her, how was that supposed to be a surprise?

"Is the gift behind the door?" she guessed with a tilt of her head as Inuyasha took out a key to open it. But when she walked in there wasn't anything … it was just a large empty space, what probably would be the living room, then the kitchen area that was attached, and three doors. With a bent brow she turned to him. "I'm confused … it just looks like an empty apartment. It's exactly like the one that I spent my internship in. Where's the surprise?"

"This is the surprise."

"I don't get it," she muttered while her attention returned to the empty place.

"This is the building with all the apartments we get for the interns," he explained while he shut the door. "The apartment you were planning to move to was hours away from Gami and my apartment-"

"If I were to walk," she countered with a raised brow. "Are you saying you want me to rent this one? Ayame, Kaede, and me looked at this complex. It's way too expensive for us. In maybe a year we'll have enough money to move to somewhere like this, but not right now."

"That's why I paid for this place for a year," he explained, when her eyes grew as wide as melons he couldn't help but grin. "Like your gift?"

"Are you _insane_?" she snapped, much to his surprise. "You can't do that! You got your pay cut in half for a year and … and … and it's too much! I can't accept it. Ayame, Kaede, and I already picked out a place. We're going to move in next week."

"I already talked to the two of them. They know you'll be staying here. They're completely fine with this. Besides, I've got a lot of money from investments and working for as long as I have. It's really not a problem, Kagome."

"Inuyasha! You can't buy me a place, that's too much!"

He rolled his eyes at that. There were two ways she was going to handle him doing this for her, one she was going to be overly grateful and very pleased with him, or two she was going to freak out and refuse the gift. Apparently it was going to be the latter … he was really hoping for the former for sex's sake.

"I did, get over it," he argued. "Now just be grateful and accept the gift already."

"I can't accept this!" She waved her arms in the air to emphasize the point. "How much was this? What if we break up within the year, then what, huh?"

Again, he found himself rolling his eyes. "If that happens, I won't take back the gift. There, now will you just be happy?"

"Inuyasha," she said with a frown while she looked eyes with him. "I'm so grateful … and really touched that you were willing to do this for me but I … I can't. It's too much. I feel like it'd be taking advantage of you or something."

"You taking advantage of me?" he gave a dry laugh at the idea.

"You … have already talked to Kaede and Ayame?"

"Yeah, they liked the idea," he answered with he walked over to open one of the doors. "This is the biggest room. It has its own bathroom, the other two share. Since I paid for this place, and your my woman, then you get it."

"I can't believe them. They should have told you it's too much," she said quickly while she walked over to look in the room. It was three times the size of the shoebox she called a room that she grew up in but … but she couldn't. Right?

"They did for a while, but then they thought it was a great idea. Kagome, it's way closer, you could walk to work every day, and I'm not much farther away, just fucking accept this already," he ordered. "I paid for it already, so there's no backing out now."

"I … I guess," she paused while she pressed her lips together briefly. "If you put it like that, I guess I accept."

"Good," he grinned while he placed an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "You're going to love this, Kagome."

"I know I will. I just feel like … I could never make this up to you." She hated feeling like that, like she was in debt to him. It gave him the upper-hand in the relationship and that made it more complicated, right?

"You don't have to," he assured her while he kissed her on top of the head. "That's the point of gifts, right? Just giving, not getting anything in return."

She smiled softly at that while she looked up to him. "So you don't want anything at all in return for this…?"

"Unless you're taking grateful sex," he grinned at the idea, "then no."

"You know you're really sweet, right?" she taunted while she wrapped her arms around his waist. "That's why you do things like this?"

"I ain't sweet," he grunted.

"Yes you are so, so sweet."

Really, he was, whether he liked to admit it or not. She hadn't excepted to find out what a softy Inuyasha really was once they started dating. He had such a rough exterior, but the longer they were together the more she got to see the cracks in that wall of his. And she loved it…

Just like she loved him and though he continuously maneuvered his way out of saying "I love you" back throughout the past six months, she still knew he had to feel the same way. Why else would he do all the things he did for her? He wasn't one for fancy words or really one to express himself verbally at all, but he did it plenty through his actions.

Honestly, even though she was only twenty-one, she couldn't think of life without him in it anymore.

**.oooOoOooo.**

To celebrate his ever so generous gift, Kaede, Ayame, and Kagome decided to take him out to a club and force him to socialize with all three of them. They were going to be roommates and he probably was going to be over plenty, so he might as well, right? That really wasn't what he had in mind when he thought "celebrations" but … when Kagome got something in her head, he found it almost too difficult to change her mind.

So, much to his dismay, he found himself at a tall table with the three girls on a busy Saturday night after he had helped her move into her new apartment instead of back at his apartment with Kagome underneath him like he had truly wanted. Seeing her laugh, smile, and gossips with her girlfriends didn't make up him feel considerably better, either. His dirty mind kept wandering to all the things he could do to her once he got her back to his, all the positions he'd like to try out with her, but a grasp of his shoulder forced him out of his world of fantasy to look over to see his grinning friend, Miroku.

"Hey!" Kagome cried out. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well," he assured her, just as his smile did. Of course, how couldn't he be doing well? With everything that was going on, he _was_ doing amazingly well.

"You shouldn't be out," Kagome taunted with a wag of her finger. "You should be a home with your daughter and tending to your pregnant girlfriend."

"I'm only here for a brief time. Of course, I'll be back to them soon enough."

Yes, his girlfriend. He couldn't have been happier to be locked into a solid commitment with none other than Kobayashi Sango. She had already mothered one child for him and it turned out her second was also going to be his. With that knowledge in hand, Sesshomaru and her severed whatever strange relationship they had and Miroku asked her to move in with him. That way they could be some sort of a family.

At first she was resistant to the idea, but then decided it would probably be for the best. It would be easier to raise Mio and their next child if they were living together. For a solid month, she refused to have anything more than an amicable friendship with him, yet one thing quickly led to another and … by the end of two months of living together, she had given in to being called his girlfriend.

"I just need to talk business with your boyfriend for a bit," Miroku said.

"Thank the gods," Inuyasha muttered, talking about work would be far more enjoyable for him than listening to the three girls blabber on about this and that.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to her friends while Miroku and Inuyasha got up to walk over to a quieter place.

"Kagome, Ayame, Kaede!" Someone called out to catch all three's attention.

"Shippou," Kagome greeted once he reached them, a large smile plastered upon his face. "I heard you and Kohaku would be starting at Gami next week, that's great news."

"Yeah, and we'll even be in the same department," he eagerly added. "I guess that means we'll probably be working closely together."

"Probably a few late nights, too." She had been having a few of those lately.

"Is Kohaku here with you?" Kaede questioned, reluctantly Shippou gave his attention to her and nodded. "Where?"

"I'll go get him," Shippou said while he turned to go find his friend.

"He's got a crush on you," Ayame said with a wicked grin. "A big one."

"Shippou?" Kagome inquired with a bent brow. "You have no idea what you are talking about."

"He does," Kaede concurred.

No, there was no way that was true. She just shook her head and looked over to see where Inuyasha had ended up before a certain werewolf caught her attention. A smile slipped up her lips while she turned her hazels back to Ayame. "Kouga's here."

"So?" Ayame asked as she took another drink of her cosmo.

"Oh, come on, are you going to say that you two _haven't_ done it yet?" Kagome said tauntingly.

"We did, a couple of times since the camping trip," she said.

"You don't sound so happy about that…"

"He wasn't as good as I had built up in my head." She pouted. "He started acting all weird afterwards like he wanted to get away, like he just wanted it to be nothing more than a one-night stand so I was like 'whatever' thanked him for couple alright times and left. I don't need to deal with someone like that."

Kaede burst out into laughter.

Kagome said, "You're right. You deserve better than that, Ayame. I'm glad you got Kouga out of your system."

"You thanked him for an _alright_ time?" Kaede asked between fits of giggles. "Oh, I bet you wounded his pride with that!"

"Probably a little." Ayame smiled at the idea. "But, really, he's not as good as he thinks he is. He's so fucking self-centered. I gave him like three blowjobs and he didn't go down on me once. That ass. Inuyasha does that type of stuff for you, doesn't he, Kagome?"

She glanced over to make sure he was still away before she nodded. "Yep, he's very generous in bed."

**.oooOoOooo.**

The very moment Inuyasha got her back to his place, she found herself without her dress on, and her bra being snapped off so that he could remove her panties next. His lips crashed against hers while he let her fall upon the sofa-he couldn't wait for them to get into the bedroom. She gasped into his mouth when she felt a finger slip into her to start to pump in and out and spark a sensual sensation to beckon to the yearning desire within her.

When he removed his lips from hers to make his way down her neck she was grateful, not merely for the sweet feeling it brought, but for the fact that she could take a deep breath in finally. Oh, _gods_, he was seriously when he said they'd have to make up for all the times that they could have had sex while she was living at home. From the way he was acting one would have thought she had been denying him for months.

"Inuyasha," she moaned while she felt her thumb flick her clit. "S-stop teasing."

He grinned against her skin at that. He wanted to taunt her, to punish her for saying she couldn't come home with him so many nights. Yet, the restricting feeling he felt against his pants begged him to just give in and fuck her senseless instead. He pulled away so that he could remove his shirt and throw it to the side while she undid his belt and began to undo his jeans. Once she was done he kicked them off along with his boxers.

Briefly he found the sense to slip on a condom instead of just entering her bare like he would have preferred. His brother had just avoided the burden of fatherhood, after all, and he wanted to do the same thing. Regardless of what his father wanted.

"You don't want me to tease anymore?" he inquired with a lopsided smile as he positioned himself at her entrance, just so that she could feel his warm but get no pleasure whatsoever.

"Inuyasha," she groaned.

That was a yes, so he plunged in while he grabbed her thighs to keep her near while he pounded in and out of her, causing a spark of her sweet sounds to leave her lips. Once she found her senses she moved her hips along with each of his thrusts to give him just as much pleasure as he was her. He couldn't remember ever feeling better inside someone than he did Kagome.

She was perfect. Her passion seeped into the act quickly, causing her to react exactly as he would have wanted her to each of his movements. It was brilliant.

Her legs wrapped around his waist to pull him closer to her so that he plunged deeper, which caused a moan to leave him while he quickened his pace to edge her bit by bit closer to the thrill feeling that had begun to tighten within her. She grasped a chunk of his hair to pull him down to let their lips clash once more.

In a sudden, grand, sensation she felt the bliss only Inuyasha could give her hit her, just as his followed shortly after.

"That's only the first time tonight, huh?" Kagome guessed while she took a series of breaths in, a small smile upon her lips while her hands wandered up his arms.

"Oh yeah," he assured her. If he could finally get her to stay at his place all night without worrying about getting her home at a decent time then he was going to take full advantage of that. He just felt her tug on a strand of his hair once more to get him to lean down and kiss her again in response to that.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Ever since Ayame and Kaede insisted that Shippou had a crush on her, she couldn't help but analyze everything he did when he was around. He seemed very happy every time they socialized, when they were assigned to work on the same project on his first week, and even more giddy when Sango assigned Kagome to show him the ropes. But that didn't mean he liked her anymore than just a friend, right?

It wasn't as if he tried to hit on her. Obviously, Ayame and Kaede were wrong. They were just friends.

"Hey," Kouga called out. He blocked her way when she was finally getting ready to leave her cubicle to go meet Inuyasha at his car. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," she said. With a curiously bent brow, she waited for him to explain what he wanted. For a while, he parted his lips to say something, but got nothing out. "Kouga, I don't have an hour. I have a minute."

"Ayame started work this week, right?"

She could tell he was trying to act all nonchalant, but the mere fact that he was asking meant the exact opposite. "Yeah, so?"

"So…" He didn't really know what else to say, but she got the gist of what was going on.

"She's uninterested in you now," she said, watching him wince slightly at that knowledge. "So, now that she doesn't want you, you find her more attractive or something?"

"She said I was just _alright_ at sex," he grunted. "I'm more than just fucking _alright_."

"She mentioned that to me, said something about you being self-centered in bed," she said with a shrug while she passed by Kouga. "See ya' later!"

He didn't come after her, which was good, she didn't want to have to deal with Ayame-Kouga drama. From what Ayame had said, it seemed unlikely that she'd consider taking Kouga back, but she could never be really sure of anything when it came to her roommate. After all, she didn't think she would have let Inuyasha buy them a place, but she did.

"You have a rich boyfriend, what's the point of having one of those if you don't let him buy you expensive stuff?" Ayame had asked her when Kagome confronted her about letting Inuyasha get them that apartment.

But it was too late, it had happened, so she might as well just learn to deal with it.

"Higurashi Kagome," a lyrical voice called out to stop her as soon as she got out of the elevator on the ground floor. With caution she turned to see the goddess Izanami standing next to the god Izanagi, together they always looked like a formidable force. And never had either really addressed her personally, not when there wasn't anything to do with Naraku.

"Hello," she weakly replied with a even weaker attempt at a smile and bow of her head.

"We don't bother with such matters, usually," Izanagi started, dully, "but our talks with Inuyasha have gotten us nowhere. For the company, for the community, and even for the both of your status's sake, marriage would be a good option for the near future. Takamoru Kagome sounds better than Higurashi, anyway. At least that way you would have the name of one of the oldest demon blood families in Japan, instead of a mortal family's name. If you plan to move up in this company or in the community, it would be greatly helpful to be attached to the Takamoru family."

"Besides," Iznamai said while she walked closer to the girl, letting her eyes shift up and down her as if evaluating her worth at an auction. "As a shikon nymph, you would aid Inuyasha's status. He's but a half-breed, but if he were to marry you … well, he would not have such problems keeping his status as high as it is. Moreover, if he were ever to do something as stupid as removing his ring in public for your own good, he would be forgiven with greater ease, since you would be his wife. His to protect at all costs."

"Um," Kagome started slowly while she swallowed and tried to find her more natural smile. "That all seems great … but … but we haven't really been together long enough to talk about something like marriage."

"That's silly," Izanami asserted rather harshly. "Back in the good days, one wouldn't have to think like that. One could be arranged to marry another and only know them a day before the process was put into motion."

"Have a good evening," Izanagi said before the two walked away, leaving her in a small stupor for a short while before she started to go towards the garage. It took her much longer than she had said it would for her to finally get into the passenger seat of Inuyasha's car, so she expected the annoyed look he gave her. She could easy get out of it if she merely told him she had ran into Izanagi and Izanami on her way out but… she didn't want to talk about that.

"I got distracted," she explained while a smile. "Oops?"

"Oops," he said while he turned the keys to start the car. "You're lucky I love you or else I wouldn't put up with all the shit you drag me through."

Instantly, that bright, natural, smile she was looking for early came to life upon her lips. He _loved_ her. Though she was fairly certain of it already, it was nice to hear it out loud. So she reached out to pace her hand on his leg and said, "I love you, too."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Here's another chapter. Thank you for all the reviews. I appreciate all of them, whatever their lengths. I've been updating this story fairly quickly because I had a couple of chapters written already. Now I don't have any chapters written for it, just general outline. So it'll probably be a longer wait for the next update. Hope you don't mind.  
><em>

_**Next Chapter**: _**_Possibility of Proposal_**


	21. Possibility of Proposal

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 21: Possibility of Proposal<em>**

Laughter tore through the break room from Shippou's little stunt. It wasn't hard for the boy with fox magic to transfer into one of their boss, mimic his voice, and mock him heavily. Everyone found it amusing, everyone thought he was brilliant for doing it, and even Kagome found herself laughing even though she knew she shouldn't. After all, what happened if that boss walked in on them in the midst of all his acting?

Well, at least Shippou would be the one in trouble and not her. In a puff he was back in his normal form and bowing to the mass amount of applause he got for his performance. He shot Kagome in particular a grand grin when he noticed how amused she was by it. Maybe … just maybe over the past month of working with him she had notice him acting particularly friendly with her.

There was a slim possibility that after everything, he did have a bit of a crush on her. But he must have realized how futile it was, she was with Inuyasha, and there was no way she'd end that relationship. So she just pretended as if she didn't notice the slightly special way Shippou treated her.

"Can you do one of the VPs?" someone asked. "Like Takamoru Sesshomaru?"

"Sure I can," Shippou said before he placed a leaf upon his head and transformed into a perfect duplicate of Sesshomaru. "What are you people doing smiling and laughing?" he asked, managing to match even Sesshomaru's voice perfectly. "There is no purpose in that! Stop it right now. You never see _me_ smiling or laughing. No. I have to keep this perfect face of mine wrinkle free so I show as little emotions as possible!"

Another set of laughter tore through the break room at that. Before someone else called out, "Do another! Do his brother!"

Giddy from all the attention, Shippou was eager to please his audience and didn't seem to even remember that Takamoru Inuyasha's girlfriend just so happened to be leaning against the counter drinking her tea while she watched him perform. Without hesitation, Shippou shifted into Inuyasha's form, too, to mock his short-temper.

He looked just like him … and voice matched Inuyasha's exactly. She was hardly offended by all that Shippou did, it was just there was an eerie feeling in the pit of her gut after watching him perform. Like she had seen it before, so she waited until the end when he had gone through all four of the VPs and everyone decided to start to clear out to go up to Shippou.

"You're really good at that, mimicking others," she stated.

"Thanks, that whole Inuyasha thing didn't offend you or anything, did it?"

She shook her head lightly while she looked him over briefly. "Not really … it just seemed really familiar to me."

"That's good, I guess I hit him spot on then, huh?" Shippou asked with a laugh.

"That or," Kagome hated to say it, to accuse him of something so cruel, but at the time it seemed so right. "Or you did it on the camping trip we all went on."

"Wh … What are you talking about?" Shippou stuttered. He took a step towards the door.

"You know someone tried to trick me into thinking Inuyasha broke up with me on that trip," she said with narrow eyes of accusation. "Shippou, I hate to blame you but … you do Inuyasha well. Very well. So well that it even fooled me and no one else on that trip had the ability to do something like that."

"Uh," he started before turning his green gaze to the door. "Of course not, Kagome. It wasn't me. I need to get back to work."

And just like that he was out the door. If he had acted less nervous, more hurt by her even thinking it could have been him, then she might have bought it. But not when he acted like _that _… of all the people, how could Shippou have done that?

"Probably figured it was the quickest way to end you two so he could have a shot at you," Ayame said with a shrug of her shoulder when Kagome told her what she thought might have happened. "Stupid little spitfuck."

"But … how could he have known about the whole Naraku thing? How it was him that tore Inuyasha and Kikyou apart, and how he's my dad, not many people know that," Kagome countered. After all, the shapeshifter - or whatever it was - did mention all of that.

"Obviously, his dad told him," Ayame answered. "You're so oblivious to things sometimes, Kagome. His dad is a high up in the company. He's Inutaisho's right-hand man, like Miroku to Inuyasha. I'm sure they talk about this stuff together. The two are good friends. He probably told Shippou everything, too."

"But … I can't believe Shippou would do something so spiteful." She couldn't help but pout at the idea. That incident had caused her so much pain, and had put a temporary damper in her relationship with Inuyasha. It took time for her to prove that she really trusted him after that.

"Guys'll do stupid things for the girls they like," Ayame said. She leaned back in her chair and turned her green gaze from her friend, who's desk was right next to hers luckily, over to a deliveryman that was making his way through the floor with a large bouquet of exotic flowers. "Case and point, looks like some idiot pissed his girlfriend off so he thinks buying her flowers will magically make it better."

"Hey, if Inuyasha bought me flowers I'd be happy," Kagome countered. He got her things sometimes, like the emerald earrings for her birthday last year and now an apartment but she wished he'd just get her small things instead. Like some chocolates or flowers, or even a card that says _I love you_ instead of the big things. A smirk slipped up her lips when she noticed that the deliveryman was there to set the flowers on Ayame's desk.

"Aoki Ayame?" the man asked.

"Yeah," she answered wearily while she sat up straight.

"These are for you, have a nice day," he replied with a bow of his head before he was off again.

"Aw, Ayame, who are they from?" Kagome teased. She slid her chair over to her friend. Ayame just shot her a weary look before she plucked out the card and opened it, after she read it she just rolled her eyes and flung it in the trash. "Ayame?"

"Kouga," Ayame answered. She picked up the flowers and walked over to set them on Kagome's desk. "There, now I've gotten you flowers! See, I'm ten times better than any boyfriend."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "So, Kouga's getting you flowers…? You wanna talk about it?"

"He keeps sending me shit all of a sudden, like just because I no longer have any interest in him I'm so hot." She shook her head as she sat back down. "I don't have time to deal with that type of bull. He's not worth the effort. I'm sure if I start to show interest back again, he'll just be out of it like he was before. Nope, I need to find someone better than that."

"I hope you do," Kagome assured her. A bright smile swiftly swept up her lips when she saw her boyfriend start to walk over to her. She did suppose it was lunch time and she had agreed to go out to eat with him. So she started to gather her things while he made his way over.

"Who are the flowers from?" Inuyasha asked right away. He cocked a brow and looked over the large boutique. No one should be giving _his_ woman flowers but him.

"Me!" Ayame chimed as she raised her hand. "Just because she's so awesome."

"Oh," he replied, that hardly made sense to him. The flowers probably cost a lot, and he was sure that Kagome's twenty-second birthday wasn't for at least another week. But whatever made Ayame happy, he supposed.

"Come on," Kagome requested as she wrapped an arm around Inuyasha's and waved goodbye to her friend.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed to try to get her hot-headed boyfriend's attention but he just waved her off. She knew he wouldn't take the news that she thought Shippou might have been behind the camping trip troubles well, but she didn't except him to suddenly pay their meal's bill and rush out of the restaurant they had walked to just so he could go "beat the shit of out of the little fuck" as he so delicately put it. "I don't know for sure if he did it or not!"

"Then I'll beat him until he confesses!" Inuyasha answered. He stopped sharply and turned down an alleyway, it would be the quickest way to Gami. Of course, Kagome had to run to keep up with him. As soon as she turned down into the alleyway she was stopped swiftly by a large hand wrapping itself around her neck, choking her.

"Hey! Who the fuck are you?" shouted Inuyasha as he turned on his heels to see the rather massive person.

"Kyoukotsu, of the Shichinintai," he retorted. "I've been ordered to get a hold of this girl here and kill you. Well, Naraku said I could eat you if I'd like. From what Jakotsu tells me about your blood, you sound delicious."

"Fucking hell," Inuyasha grumbled to his, yet again they were just going to attack him in the midst of the city? In broad fucking daylight no less? At least they were in an alleyway were less people would see him. "Let her go or I'll kill you," he warned while he began to fiddle with his ring.

"I'd like to see you try," Kyoukotsu chuckled.

Fine, if that was the way the fucker wanted it then that was what would happen. Inuyasha swiftly slid off his ring into his pocket so he could rush at Kyoukotsu with his full speed and slice the arm that held Kagome right off with his razor sharp claws. Quickly he grabbed her and jumped back while Kyoukotsu cried out in pain as he grabbed the bleeding stub that was left.

"You asked for it," Inuyasha warned. "Leave now and I won't kill you."

"You fucker!" Kyoukotsu cried out before he began to rush towards him. Inuyasha just jumped out of the way again, this time holding Kagome tightly to him to avoid the attack that ended up leaving a hole in the wall of one of the buildings. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Just stay right here, scream if something happens," Inuyasha ordered. He put her down to draw Kyoukotsu's attention away from here. The big lug of a demon rushed towards him again. Instead of avoiding the attack like before, Inuyasha charged at him to slice his claws through his neck to end his life. It was Kyoukotsu's own fault, he should have just left when Inuyasha gave him the chance to.

All the while, Kagome cringed, turned her cheek, and closed her eyes. The last thing she really wanted to see was that much blood…. She knew it was in self defense, but was it really that easy for Inuyasha to kill someone? It only gave her an awful pang to see, once she finally pried her eyes open to make sure he was alright, something akin to a smirk on his face as he flicked some of the blood off of his claws.

How many people had he killed before? Once he told her back in the old days supernatural creatures of all types used to get into clashes all the time. That he had gotten in plenty himself and winning a lot of them was what had given him higher status in the community. But by winning she always assumed he meant defeating them … not killing them. Now she wasn't so sure.

That smirk-like-smile of his was whipped clear off of his face, though, when he felt a jab of a sword through his side.

"Poor Kyoukotsu," Jakotsu said with a pout as he removed his sword to lick it. Inuyasha stumbled forward and grabbed his wound, weakly turning around to see the demon. "First you kill Mukotsu and now Kyoukotsu? I suppose they were our weakest links but … for someone as cute as you, I can forgive you."

"Leave him alone!" Kagome ordered as she ran in between the two.

"Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled between clenched teeth, not that he could really stop her. He could feel the blood rushing out from between his fingers and could barely stand up, let alone keep her back.

"Oh, it's _you_," Jakotsu grumbled bitterly with narrowed eyes. "You're daddy wants you back, so step aside or I might have to ruin that face of yours. Well, more than it already is."

"Ah!" Kagome gripped while she folded her arms. "So says the man that looks like a woman!"

"I said move or I'll do worse to you than I did your boyfriend," Jakotsu warned. He pointed the tip of his sword to her. Usually she'd be very, very afraid of such a situation, but when she could see some sliver in the corner of her eyes she knew there was no need. After all, Gami wasn't far away and as soon as Inuyasha had left her side to go fight that giant ugly thing, she knew she should probably call someone in case he needed help.

Who better to call that his dad, right?

Jakotsu seemed to notice Inutaisho's arrival, too, because a lopsided smirk slipped up his face. "Oh! You must be his daddy! Well aren't you handsome, I hear you're other son is cute as well!"

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho whispered once he got to his side and placed his arms around his son, to keep him propped up. All he got in reply was a disgruntled grunt.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat," Jakotsu said as he began to back away. "I know better than to attempt at fight with Takamoru Inutaisho."

Before any of them could look up from the wounded Inuyasha, Jakotsu was gone.

"Let's get him back to mine," Inutaisho stated while he grabbed one of Inuyasha's arms to put over his shoulders. "I'll summon someone to tend to his wounds there."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Oddly peaceful, her lover, maybe even love of her life, rested on the bed as if he didn't have a huge gash in his gut, but instead simply fell asleep after a session of twisting under the sheets with her. He was out cold only moving to take in a series of deep breaths. His injury was so severe … she had expected it to be a huge problem.

She had been in a panic the entire time that they traveled in Inutaisho's car back to his home. Thousands of torturing questions coursed through her tattered mind as she watched Inuyasha try to stay conscious and not show how much pain he was really in. What if the wound was too severe? What if he lost _too_ much blood? What if … what if she lost him?

The thought made her heart clench, her throat close, and her lungs burn for a need for air that she couldn't seem to find. That couldn't happen because … more than anything, she loved Inuyasha.

Her mind went blank with the possibility of what she would do if he died. What _could_ she do? She had no idea what to do if that happened. She couldn't live without him. She had no idea how to anymore. Her heart couldn't take losing him. It had hurt almost too much when she lost her dad … she couldn't go through that again.

As soon as they got to Inutaisho's house he had a healer waiting who seemed to be able to work magic. The elder man had everything under control. Apparently she didn't need to worry in the least. That had to be why, even when she was in a panic making a fool of herself from worry, Inutaisho could be silently stoic. For a while, she was furious with him for being like that. _How_ could he act like nothing was wrong? How could he look so untouched by what was going on?

His son might die, didn't that bother him?

But it turned out Inutaisho knew best, that while she was being useless he had already gotten them back to his place and summoned someone to help his son. He knew everything was going to be alright because he had made sure of it.

"How is he?" Startled her, but it only took a short while for her to realize who it was. With a smile, she looked over her shoulder to see Inutaisho standing there, his golden gaze fixated upon his youngest son.

"He's been asleep for a solid hour now," Kagome replied as her hazels shifted back to the man before her. "He seems much better now."

"Good," he whispered. He walked into the room to pull up a seat next to Inuyasha as well. "He does such rash things sometimes and fails to take in his surroundings as well as he should…. I often worry more about him than Sesshomaru for such reasons."

It was true. Inutaisho was _worried_ ever so much about his son. It was apparent in everything he had done, and the expression now etched into his face. He loved Inuyasha, very much. Kagome found that sweet … so what was it that continuously hindered the two's relationship? Why did Inuyasha refuse to respect his dad, or love?

"Will he get into trouble?" Kagome asked. "For showing himself in public again? He can't really take another pay cut this year … then he'd be making no money."

"He was almost killed. It was a necessity that he remove his ring, this time there will be no punishment. I will make sure of it." Inutaisho said staunchly. "Last time, I thought that he shouldn't be punished, either. Sometimes our rules are so … ridiculous."

"I agree," she whispered softly. She didn't understand everything yet in the supernatural world that she had entered, but she didn't see how it was wrong for Inuyasha to expose himself when it saved the both of them. It was stupid.

"He loves you, very much," Inutaisho stated to her surprise. "I can tell. He's not good about saying such things, probably even poor at expressing that love, but it is there. I think you're good for my son. I would appreciate you staying with him."

"Of course I will," Kagome replied. It was ridiculous to think she wouldn't. Of _course_ she was going to stay with him. "Why would I leave?"

"He can be difficult." That was the leading complaint Inutaisho got.

"I like that about him," she assured him softly while she took one of Inuyasha's hands gently into hers. "I like everything about him. I love him."

"I'm glad to hear it. He needs someone sensible, someone that can counteract his stupidity sometimes." It was a bit cruel, yes, but true nonetheless. His son's brains was never something outwardly impressive. Often he did stupid shit, that was just a fact.

"I'll be back," whispered Kagome as she rose up to leave the room. It seemed like the two needed some alone time together. She had plenty and would just continue to get plenty, but it was probably only when Inuyasha was unconscious that he and his father would ever have peaceful one-on-one time.

Inutaisho had left Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi, before Inuyasha was even born. She knew that much, Inuyasha had ranted on about it once when she inquired as to why he couldn't seem to stand his father. Because his father did that, and Izayoi wasn't aware that Inutaisho was a demon. Inuyasha was not only a bastard child born to an unwed mother 250 years ago - when such were highly unacceptable - but also a freak of nature. He was born with such strange features, no one knew what to make of him.

He was a monster. A freak.

He had no idea what he was for the first twenty or so years of his life. That must have been hard … but Inutaisho _did_ come back for him once he found out Inuyasha even existed. Since then, from what Kagome could tell. It appeared he was trying his best to make up for that lost time. For all the trauma Inuyasha had to endure. It was his stubborn son that refused to allow their relationship to mend.

She really did love Inuyasha, so much, but he could _really _be a stubborn jackass sometimes. If she were to ever do something that he deemed horrible enough to form a grudge…. She shivered at the very thought. He'd never let it go. If his own father couldn't get him to forget and forgive then there really wasn't any hope for her.

"I guess I'll just never have to do anything grudge-worthy," Kagome mumbled to herself as she walked into the kitchen to make some tea. But things like that were always easier to say than actually do. It wasn't long after she finished making her tea that a knock on the door caught her attention and since Inutaisho was preoccupied with tending to his son she figured she might as well go see who it was.

First, she looked through the peep-hole to see if she recognized whoever it was. Instantly she did, Izanagi, so she supposed it would be alright to answer it. Inutaisho probably wouldn't want her refusing entry to one of his bosses, after all.

"Somehow, I am not surprised to see you here," Izanagi stated, rather condescendingly, as he bypassed Kagome to enter the apartment.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"If this is about Inuyasha taking off his ring again and killing a demon," Inutaisho began carefully after he had led Izanagi into his study so that they could talk in private, but he didn't get to finish his thought. Izanagi just raised a hand to silence him and when the strongest god of them all did that, one would shut the hell up instantly.

"No, Inuyasha won't be punished for that. No mortals saw him this time and it was purely out of self-defense. He almost got himself killed, after all," Izanagi said, giving Inutaisho instant relief. He had worried about how well he was going to be able to keep Inuyasha out of trouble for that. After all, he was just CEO, he could only argue with the chairmen for so long and it was really up to them what happened. But if Izanagi, the leader of all chairmen, said Inuyasha would not be punished then that meant he wasn't.

"Then what are you here about?" Inuatisho asked cautiously. It wasn't like Izanagi to make house-calls and he hardly thought that the god cared enough about Inuyasha's well being to come to check on him himself.

"Higurashi Kagome's the root cause of your son's sudden series of fights. His former punishment and now his life-threatening injury. Naraku has only sent the Shichinintai members after him because he always seems to be with his daughter. While it does appear that one member, a Jakotsu, has taken an interest in Inuyasha the rest wouldn't bother him if not for the fact that he is with Naraku's daughter."

"Yes, I'm aware of that," but what did that have to do with Izanagi? Though, Inutaisho wanted to ask just that he bit his tongue and waited. Surely the god would explain himself.

"She's a shikon nymph, those are rare, we don't have many nymphs at all left in Japan. Most are spread around Europe. It would be an asset to Gami if we could keep her here. But, unfortunately, she is also Naraku's daughter. This will continuously put your son at risk, if he has plans of staying with her that is."

The pause Izanagi gave then probably meant something, and if Inutaisho had to guess he would say that he wanted to know _if_ Inuyasha did have such plans. "My son has no intention of leaving her because of all of this. If anything, the danger she is in only makes him want to be with her more. He has a very protective nature to him."

"Then he'll probably be getting himself into a great deal of trouble for her sake, won't he?" Izanagi waited for Inutaisho to give a small nod. "I am going to be blunt with you, Inutaisho. We gods have worries about Higurashi Kagome and her connection with Naraku. If he were to return the shikon to her, tainted as it is now, she would be very powerful. It would be the first time in ages that a shikon nymph would actually possess an entire shikon. We believe that's why Naraku is trying to get her back, to give her that jewel and use her to complete his mission."

"You've met Kagome," Inutaisho dared to interrupt. "Do you honestly believe she would do something like that? She's a very good natured girl. She wouldn't wish harm upon anyone, particularly Gami."

"A tainted shikon would taint the nymph. Regardless of how kind she might be now, if the shikon were given back to her as it is then she wouldn't have much of a choice. It's been tainted with _Naraku's_ ill intention, with _his _wishes, and _he'd_ be able to control it and her. We don't want to have to deal with that."

"So … what would you like me to do about it?" Inutaisho inquired with a lifted brow. It was hardly like he was close to the girl or he could somehow locate Naraku when no one else could.

"We need her tied tighter to Gami, to our community, to an important family which we all can trust." Izanagi stated staunchly.

"Ah," Inutaisho drew out while he nodded his head. Now _that_ made sense. Inuyasha had mentioned to him that Izanami and Izanagi had bothered him a couple times about marriage. "You're asking me to… request my son marry Higurashi Kagome, then?"

"No, I not asking nor do I want you to merely _request_." Izanagi corrected. "I am _telling_ you to _get_ your son to marry her. I do not care what their feelings are on the subject. We need her connected more to this company and your bloodline is one of the oldest in Japan. She would be lucky to take on the Takamoru name instead of having a mere mortal family surname. There would be many benefits here, for the both of them, and I am sure that I don't need to explain that to you."

"Of course not." Inutaisho knew a couple off of the top of his head. As a half-breed his son had issues keeping a high status in their society and even harder time being taken seriously as a Vice President. If he married a shikon nymph then his status would be sealed where it was. But … getting the two to agree to marriage would be difficult. Inuyasha had been fairly firm in that regard. They hadn't been together long enough to even consider such things, he often told Inutaisho.

"In the old days this wouldn't have been such a problem," Izanagi complained bitterly. "Many sups marry merely because we arrange it. Your son and Higurashi Kagome will be no different. They are not special. They will not be exempt from our orders."

"Of course," Inutaisho replied again. That was the way things were. If the gods said jump, then the proper answer was 'how high?' not 'why'. They were the leaders in their society. In most cases, the gods were the ones that created the supernatural beings that worked at Gami. "You truly believe that this will somehow keep Naraku from getting Kagome, though?"

"I truly believe that it'll make it far more difficult for him to. After all, if she were your son's wife than he would be allowed to do anything it took to protect her without fear of any sort of punishment. Perhaps it would not mean much to Naraku, but it would to those that worked for him. Even someone so stupid enough to pledge their allegiance to him must fear the notion of making an enemy out of a family like yours. Didn't one of the Shichinintai members flee merely at the sight of you?"

"That is true."

"Then get it done, Inutaisho. I expect this to be resolved swiftly," Izanagi stated as he stood up and left, without another word.

Inutaisho couldn't help but sigh … it wasn't as if he had much control over Inuyasha anyway. This was going to be a problem.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"She's not here," was what Inuyasha heard when he wandered into the living room. When he awoke in the spare bedroom, he could hardly remember where he was, let alone what happened and why he felt such pain in his side. But with time his memories slowly started to come back to him. He was at his dad's place and had almost gotten himself killed by fucking Jakotsu.

Kagome had been there, he remembered seeing her nearly every time he woke up - regardless of how briefly that was. Yet now that he felt good enough to get up and walk around, he couldn't seem to find her. When he heard his father say that she wasn't there, he supposed he should have noticed, since her scent was faint in the place at best.

"She had to go to work," Inutaisho explained once Inuyasha took a seat on the couch.

"Right." Of course she did. He wasn't in a life-threatening situation anymore so she didn't need to stay by his side to make sure he'd actually wake up. Kagome always hated to miss work, so he wasn't surprised to hear that she had gone in even on a day he wouldn't be. With a bent brow he looked over to his dad. "Why aren't you at work?"

"And leave you alone?" he questioned back before shaking his head lightly. "Work's not that important. I didn't have anything scheduled for today that couldn't be put off until later."

"Okay," he murmured back. He was hardly going to give him a 'Father of the Year Award' for doing that.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." Though his side was still sore and bending was painful. He figured in a couple of weeks he'd be fine again. Within a day or so he'd be back to work. Having sex with such an injury was going to be a problem, but not a big enough one that he was going to try and avoid the act. Convincing Kagome that everything would be alright was going to be the hard part in that plan.

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho slowly started, so wearily that it got his son to look over at him curiously. "We need to discuss a few matters."

"I couldn't avoid taking off my ring, that bastard would have killed Kagome and me-"

"It's not that," Inutaisho asserted. "You won't be getting in trouble. It was pure self-defense and no mortals saw you this time."

"That's bullshit. I shouldn't have gotten in trouble last time, it was in _self-defense_ then, too," he gripped.

His father just shrugged one of his shoulders in reply to that. He agreed, he hardly thought his son should have been punished for defending himself. They were able to find all the mortals that witnessed it and whip their memories before it became a problem. But that wasn't the point.

"Izanagi stopped by earlier…. He made a very interesting case for why you and Higurashi Kagome should get married." Just as he expected, a hard glare was all his son gave him in reply. They had discussed this before and Inuyasha had already told him how he felt about the subject. Did he really have to repeat himself?

"Izanagi and Izanami are no longer telling you to merely think about it. They are telling you to do it. As am I, Inuyasha."

Instantly, his brows bent together as he sat up straight. "I don't fucking get it. What the _fuck_ does it matter if Kagome and I get married?"

"It'd protect her."

That got his son's attention, enough so that his temper seemed to die down some. For a while Inutaisho had just been sitting there, trying to figure out the best way to address the matter with his son. How to actually get Inuyasha to consent to the proposal. To protect her, it was clear Inuyasha was about to do just about anything. Thus, Inutaisho decided to use that as not only the leading point but the main one.

"Naraku will continue to come after her. If she was connected to the Takamoru family then those that worked for him would be far more reluctant to try and harm or take her. That Shichinintai member fled instead of fighting with me. Whether you respect me or not, Inuyasha, others do. Plenty still fear me, just as many fear your brother, few would do something stupid enough to incur the wrath of our family. Marriage would bind her to us, far more than merely dating."

While all that was true, Inuyasha was still unsure. There was another question on his mind, one that just didn't make any sense to him. So he said, "That can't be why Izanagi and Izanami want us to marry… why do they?"

"She's a shikon nymph, there are almost no nymphs left in Japan. They want her to stay and continue to be connected to Gami. She's also Naraku's daughter, they want to make it as difficult as possible for him to get to her. This would make it _very_ difficult," Inutaisho answered. "But, Inuyasha, the truth of the matter is that it _does not_ matter why they want it to happen. What is important is that Izanagi and Izanami, the gods of all gods, _demand_ that it does happen. You must understand the magnitude of that."

He did … he really, really did.

"So," he stared warily while he leaned back in the couch again. "This would be like an arranged marriage, then, huh?"

"That's one way of looking at it."

"What's another?" he grumbled.

"You do love her, it could be an actual marriage." Inutaisho had never seen his son act the same way he did with Higurashi Kagome before. Even when he was with Kikyou he wasn't so … at peace, so happy.

"I may love her," well, he did, he knew that, "but I don't think I love her enough to get married to her…"

"It could just be for show for now, Inuyasha," Inutaisho suggested, which once again got his son to turn his golden gaze to him. "You could continue to think of it just as dating. Once Naraku is dealt with you could even terminate that marriage if you two so desire. Or, if by that point you decide you truly love her, then you could remain married. For real."

"It … would really protect her, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would."

He sighed heavily then as he squirmed around in his seat, trying to find a way to be comfortable in the midst of such an uncomfortable conversation and with an aching side still. "I don't think Kagome will agree to this. She loves me, I know, but not enough to get married. Not yet. She also doesn't understand what it means when Izanami and Izanagi say to do something. She was brought up as a mortal, she's just now learning our ways."

"Then make her understand."

"You think I'm stubborn, you haven't had to try and change Kagome's mind before," Inuyasha muttered. "She's more stubborn than I am sometimes. I just … I don't know if this is going to work."

Inutaisho just nodded at that first while he stood up and stretched. "Sleep on it tonight, make a decision tomorrow. I hope you make the right one, Inuyasha. For your sake as well as hers."

"Hey," Inuyasha called out before Inutaisho could leave the living room. "That little spitfuck, Shippou."

"Manabu's son? What of him?"

"He was that fucker that did the whole shape-shifting shit back when Kagome and I went camping, at least that's what she thinks."

"You want me to verify that?" he guessed. All he got in reply was a simple nod. "Alright, I'll talk to him about it tomorrow. And if it was, what will you do? That's not against any rules, Manabe might punish him some."

"I'll beat the shit out of him," Inuyasha retorted, that was a stupid question. His father just sighed as he shook his head and left the room. Sometimes, his son could be too much of a hot-head. He really had no idea where he got it from. It obviously wasn't from him, he liked to think of himself level-headed, but it couldn't have been Izayoi either. She was the sweetest woman he had ever met, and too meek to ever do anything of the sort.

But, really, a parent could only do so much.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Gasp, Shippou was the shape-shifter! I'm sure some people will be upset with that but… I've never been fond of the little spitfuck, as I "affectionately" call him. He always seemed so, so, so very useless in my opinion. I get his was meant to be some sort of comic relief or something of the sorts but… as you might be able to tell from most my stories, I can do without such things. So, personally, I have no qualms with him getting beaten up._

_Anyway, thank you everyone for all the reviews. I appreciate them all, short or long._

_Oh, and I've had most of this chapter written for a while, it took me like two days just to get the last section written... I'm finding it hard to write for Toyfriend or Damned Deed right now. I think I might have a bit of writer's block. Hopefully I'll get over that shortly.  
><em>

**Next Chapter: Right Decision, Wrong Reasons?**


	22. Right Decision, Wrong Reasons?

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 23: Right Decision, Wrong Reasons?<em>**

On Kagome's twenty-second birthday, her boyfriend took her to the nicest restaurant in all of Tokyo. Somewhere so high up in a building that they could see most of the city and at night it couldn't have been more beautiful. All the lights, all the people, it was such a great sight. From the start, he was nothing but amazing to her.

The dinner in itself was a surprise. The gift he gave her was a diamond necklace and matching earrings. He even listened to her when she went on a rant about the ridiculous time period she had to complete a project. Usually, he just nodded and muttered a 'uh-huh' when she complained about work, but not that time. She could tell, he was _actually_ paying attention to her. It was probably just another birthday present.

"You didn't have to do all of this," Kagome said as the chocolate cake she ordered for desert was placed in front of her. A gleeful smile slipped up her lips at the sight. Usually, she wouldn't indulge herself in something like that, but it was her birthday so why not?

And it was supposedly the best cake in all of Tokyo, probably the most expensive, too, but Inuyasha had insisted and how could she have said no to cake like that? It wasn't like Inuyasha was about to judge her for eating it.

"Really, it's almost too much," she added. She took her fork to the cake to get a big piece of it to eat. She savored every bite. It was so _delicious_. "I mean, first this restaurant, you must have had this planned forever since it's so hard to get reservations and then these?" She smiled even more while she waved her hand over her necklace and then up to her new earrings. "Plus this cake? It's not like it's a special birthday, it's just a birthday. We don't even celebrate yours."

"That's because I have no idea when I was born," he answered. He had a general guess on the month but he wouldn't know the day. It didn't matter anyways, he wasn't a hundred percent sure on his exact age either. But none of that mattered. It wasn't really about her birthday, anyway.

"We should pick a date and start celebrating. Every year you get another year older anyway, right?"

"That's true." But he'd much rather not. He didn't get the big deal, a year was nothing, maybe ever decade but just once a year? That was stupid.

"Are you alright?" She questioned with a tilt of her head before she took another bite of her cake. "You've been great tonight, but you've been acting kind of funny, too. Quieter than normal."

"You've been blabbering most of the time," he countered, yet without the usually edge to his tone he had when he was complaining. It was … weird. He was weird.

He was almost too great that night, so something certainly had to be up, right? Or was it wrong of her to think that way? Shouldn't she just have been grateful that he was being so very good to her on her birthday. Way better than any other boyfriend she had ever had?

"I suppose," she said. She took another bite of her cake then scoped up another and leaned forward. "Say, 'ahhhh'."

With a lifted brow, he looked between her and the fork, reluctantly he obeyed so she could put a piece in his mouth. He just smiled before whipping his mouth. He wasn't one for sweets. He preferred savory or salty things, but he'd fake liking the cake if it made her happy. Which apparently he was doing a very good job at making her happy that night.

His fingers slid over her ring a couple of times while she started to eat her cake once more. She was having a great night and it was all thanks to him. She was in an amazing mood, so it was time to start to talk about _it_, right…? Yeah.

So he parted his lips, but she started talking before he got the chance. "Honestly, I don't think I could have imagined a more perfect birthday no matter how hard I tried. This has all be really amazing, thank you, Inuyasha. You're the best."

And just like that he closed his lips and just smiled some more. Never mind, he didn't want to ruin her birthday. It would be better to just leave it for tomorrow. But he couldn't put it off for too much longer, Izanagi had cornered him at work that day to talk to him about the whole situation. Inuyasha did verify that he understood the need and would go forward with the plan.

He'd … marry Kagome. It'd protect her, shelter her form most harm with the Takamoru name. But to be forced to marry his woman wasn't great. He loved her, yeah, but probably not enough to get married. That could either destroy their relationship or take it to the next level.

Not that he ever thought about taking his relationship to the next level.

Fuck … he was fucked, for sure.

Kagome was either going to love the idea of marriage or hate it. There was no in-between and he wasn't sure which he'd prefer. If he she loved it, he'd freak out a little. If she hated it, then it'd be really hard to convince her the merit of the marriage. Really hard … gods, he had no idea what to do.

Not that talking to them would help. All this trouble was due to the intrusive jackass gods. He just wanted things to be simple, uncomplicated but that wasn't in their fate. Everything had to be problematic. Their relationship was hard most of the time. Sometimes they had it easy, but with all the problems that loomed over them…?

At least he knew one thing for certain was fine in their relationship - the sex. He was also positive that he was going to get some very gratifying action once he shut the door to his apartment and looked over to the girl who had invited herself over for the night - not that he minded. The mischievous smile on her face was a welcoming one to him. Also the way she walked to his bedroom and curled her index finger to get him to follow.

"You've been so great to me tonight," she said, as she had almost a thousand times already that night. He liked being reminded how awesome he was, sure, but that night he wasn't feeling so great. Only what she was about to do was going to make him feel better for sure.

"Have I?" he questioned. He placed his hands on both of her upper arms, a smile on his lips. "And what're you going to do for me in return?"

It was purely because she caught him off guard that she was able to push him back into his bed so that he was the one lying on his back and she was still standing. She just smiled all the more at the raised brow he gave her. Slowly, she slipped her hands behind her back and began to unzip her dress so that it could fall to the ground to reveal her in nothing but panties. Her dress had a built in bra, so they didn't have to mess with that tonight.

Then her hands found their way to his belt to undo it and quickly unzipped his pants to part them. She pulled his boxers down enough that when she knelt down she could run her hand up and down his length, earning an unsteady breath from him. So, she took it into her mouth then. Oral was far from her favorite action but for all that he had done, she thought it necessary.

Besides, the noises that he made when she was pleasuring him like that amused her. So she bobbed her head up and down him, sucking here and there to get him to gasp and groan. Still, he taunted her often, so she did the same in return and pulled away to leave him unfinished.

"Fucking hell, Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled when she pulled away to climb onto the bed on top of him. She then slipped on her panties and cast them aside to slide down on him. Instantly, his annoyances were easy to ignore as she began to rock back and forth on him to edge both of them closer to the bliss that they sought. A desire tightened and twisted in the pit of their gut.

His hands grasped her hips to quicken her movements, to jerk her back and forth on him swifter. It was best that way. He wanted that release. _Needed_ it and she was taunting him by not giving it to him. And after everything that he had done for her that night?

He groaned at the thought while she moaned on top of him, rubbing her hands up and down his chest before gripping his shoulders and rocked quicker and a bit more erratically. Then it hit them just like that. A flash of perfection and pure pleasure cascaded through them both.

**.oooOoOooo.**

He had no fucking idea what to do and when in doubt he went to one person. Someone who seemed to have a way of figuring out things. As long as those things weren't a part of his life, if it was someone else's life he knew exactly what to do.

"Miroku, I just don't know what to do…" Inuyasha muttered as he withheld the urge to sigh. His gaze shifted across the room to the open door to see a very pregnant Sango trying to get Mio to pick up her toys that were spewed all over the apartment. "Izanami and Izanagi insist that I have to get married to Kagome. I get what a big deal that is and all."

"They are the ruling gods of Japan," Miroku couldn't help but point out. Not that that helped the situation in the least bit. "Inuyasha, you have to do as they say. It does no one any good to disobey them. Look, I always have Sango's father on me. He doesn't like me very much. You really don't want to have a god dislike you. It's just the way of our community to always obey the gods-"

"I know, Miroku," Inuyasha snapped. "I'm not saying I won't do it. I'm just saying I don't know how to talk to Kagome about this. She won't understand. She doesn't get the way things work yet. I've been avoiding it but I know I can't avoid it for much longer. She thinks I'm acting weird as is…"

"She told me all about her birthday celebration," Miroku mentioned with a mischievous smile. "She enjoyed it a great deal. She kept telling me how _amazing_ of a boyfriend you are."

"I wish she wouldn't use that term," he muttered.

"I think you should use that type of technique to convince her," his friend insisted. "Be romantic, propose like every girl wants to be proposed to. Take her somewhere special, get her a nice ring, then ask her."

"You think that's the best idea?" he questioned with a lifted brow. "I think we should talk about it. I should explain to her why it's necessary."

"I don't think that'll work with her, but you're welcome to try it that way. You have to try. You can't really deny the gods. Nothing good ever comes of it."

"I know that," Inuyasha snapped. "It's Kagome that won't understand."

"You never know, maybe she'll just say '_yes_' and that'll be that. You two have known each other for nearly two years, right? I mean you started your relationship when she was twenty."

"I guess that's true." But he wasn't sure if that was what he wanted. Did he want her to be ready to get hitched when he wasn't? Still, it'd be the easiest solution. He wouldn't have to convince her of anything. She'd just want to do it. It'd be as simple as that but….

Things were never just as simple as that for him, especially when it came to _them_.

**.oooOoOooo.**

He couldn't take her to the nicest restaurant in Tokyo again, that wouldn't be special if they did it a second time. Regrettably, he wasn't the creative type so it took a whole week for him to figure out what to do. It also took that long to pick out a ring. A diamond band that would go well with the wedding ring that he also purchased.

It felt so … weird to do that. Too early. They might have known each other for a long while, but they had only been steadily dating for something like seven months. And yet, he was probably going to get married to her in the not too distant future.

Regardless, it was necessary. Hopefully Kagome could see it that way, too.

That Saturday he made sure that she was all his and got Miroku to help a bit, too. His fiancé-to-be loved nature and all that it entailed. There was a park just outside of the city that she liked to go to but rarely got the chance. She agreed instantly when he suggested they go there for the afternoon.

"I think this is one of my most favorite places," Kagome said as she walked along one of the paths, glancing over her shoulder to see Inuyasha lagging a little behind her. "My dad used to bring me here all the time when I was a kid so that I could get some fresh air and run around as much as I wanted. He always said that if he could, he'd move us out of the city so we could have a backyard with grass and trees. But he worked in the city, and his house had been in the family for generations so that wasn't going to happen … I think that's why I want to raise my children out of the city."

Gods he had forgotten about that problem in their relationship. Children. She wanted them, he didn't. He hadn't even thought about how that could affect her answer to his question in a negative light. Shit…

In the midst of the path she stopped to turn around so that her and Inuyasha could be face to face and ask, "Do you still not want children…?"

Fuck. She had to go and ask that question right there of all times? He thought about lying, saying he had a change of heart, that he wanted some someday. It would help her answer be the right one but … he couldn't lie. He really, really didn't want any.

"No. I still don't want any," he answered. It pained him the way she almost winced at hearing that. "I don't get it. Why the hell do you? Do you want a huge gut and stretch marks?" he waved towards her stomach even to emphasize his point. "To deal with carrying a kid _in_ you for nine months? How uncomfortable must that be?"

"Inuyasha, are you saying you wouldn't love me if I got fat?" she countered with a dull stare. "It'd be temporary, all of that."

"Then you'd have to push something as big as a watermelon out of you, you really want to do that?" To him that sounded _horrible_, why any women wanted to do that was absolutely and utterly beyond him.

She sighed heavily as she shook her head. "Inuyasha, all of that would be temporary, and those would be reasons why _I_ wouldn't want children. Not reasons why you wouldn't. You're the man, all you'd have to do is play your fun part in the conception."

_Conception_, even hearing that made him shiver. She saw that, too, and just groaned as she began to turn around but he placed his hands on her upper arms to keep her there and turned her all the way towards him once more.

"Kagome … today, I don't want to get into a fight. Alright? I just want to enjoy the nice weather, the park, and you. Please, don't get mad?"

It was so … unlike him to be the one to try and stop the fighting. It warmed her up enough to melt the annoyance she might have felt for him. With a smile, she nodded before taking one of his hands and continuing down the path with him. It did make her a little curious as to what he was up to. He rarely ever showed any interest parks. She didn't even think that they were ever had gone there together before, really.

She was about to ask him why he had decided to go there, why he had been so abnormally great that entire week, but before she got the chance to she saw a picnic blanket laid out with a basket and an iced container with champagne in it. The area was pretty empty, though, as if no one was there. Who was it for?

"This is us," Inuyasha stated with a wave of his free hands toward the area. Instantly, her eyes lit up and a smile crossed her lips.

"Really? How did you do this?" She asked gleefully.

Miroku did it, but he wasn't about to tell her that. It'd ruin the magic of it, so he just smiled as he let go of her hand so she could walk over to the blanket, sit down, and open the basket to see some of her favorite foods. Again, he was great.

He listened to her as she complained about this and that. He watched her carefully, obviously was paying heed to what she said, and then ended it perfectly. With some of the same chocolate cake she had been blessed with on her birthday.

"Oh, I don't know," she said as her eyes devoured the cake he placed in front of her. It was a small one … and it looked so good. She knew it was delicious, but cake twice in one week? Her figure wouldn't thank her for that.

"You know you want to," he said, which was completely true, so when he dug a fork into it and lifted it up for her to take a bite she couldn't refuse. "You also know … that I love you, right?"

"Of course." How could she not after everything he had done for her? Especially in just that week. "This is so romantic, Inuyasha, a surprise picnic in my favorite park. So … what's it all about?"

"Can I just give my woman a treat every once and a while?"

She tilted her head some as she thought about it. If he hadn't given her such a treat on her birthday just seven days prior then she probably wouldn't think it so odd, but he had … and he wasn't really the type for grand romantic gestures. Especially not when it was just out of the blue like that. She couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong and all of this was just preparing her for the news.

Yet, when she turned her gaze away from the trees and back to him, her eyes instantly landed on was a black box in his hand. One that he opened slowly to reveal a beautiful diamond band … a ring. A diamond ring to go with the diamond earrings and necklace…? Her breath hitched in her throat.

She was suffocating for sure.

"Higurashi Kagome, will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened when he finally said those six words. Slowly they shifted up to him, he seemed serious, this wasn't just some sort of stupid joke. Quickly, she jumped up and backed away. "What the hell, Inuyasha?"

Well … that wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"When have we ever talked about getting married? Especially this soon," she asked frantically while she shook her hand lightly. "This … this is all nice, the picnic and everything, but … but how could you be asking me this? When we've only been dating for like seven months now?"

"Damn it," he muttered. He closed the box and put it back into his pocket before he stood up and walked over to her. "Look, Kagome, we need to talk about this."

"Hell yeah we do," she snapped.

He just shook his head lightly at that. "Izanagi and Izanami say we need to get hitched now and if those two say so then … we need to get married."

She let out a dry laugh. "So you're asking me to marry you … not because you want to, but because your bosses _told_ you to?"

"They are way more than bosses Kagome, don't be stupid. They are _gods_, and not just any, but _the_ two leading gods in Japan. If they say something needs to happen then it needs to happen. That's that. I just wish you could understand that," he muttered. That was the annoying part. If she had been a part of the supernatural community since birth then she wouldn't be mocking the idea. If he said Izanagi and Izanami wanted them to get married then she'd understand. She would have agreed by then.

But she wasn't … and he had to explain all the shit to her. To top it off, she was as stubborn as an ox sometimes. It wasn't going to be easy.

"Why? Huh? Why, why, _why_, why, why do they want us to get married? What the hell does it matter to the _two_ leading gods in Japan if we are married or not?"

"Because of Naraku, because of all the trouble he's causing, because you're a shikon nymph, because you're his daughter, because of my family's importance in this community, the list goes on and on, Kagome. Here's the most important part, though. It'd _protect_ you so much more if we were married. You'd have the Takamoru name. Ayone that thought that trying to hurt you for Naraku was a good idea would think twice. No one would want to try and piss off my family - one of the _oldest_ demon blood families in Japan - by hurting you."

It was sweet that he was thinking about it like that … that he wanted what was best for her. That he wanted to protect her, but … but she couldn't. So she shook her head some more before saying. "I love you. I do, Inuyasha. More than anything, but … I can't marry you. I can't do this."

"We don't have much of a choice in the matter, Kagome," Inuyasha replied but he doubted she could hear him. She took off sprinting in the other direction. Out of all the reactions that he had thought might happen … Kagome literally running away from the situation wasn't one of them.

He just sighed as he looked away, he didn't feel like catching her. She could just wait for him by the car or take a bus back into town.

**.oooOoOooo.**

What if she kept saying no? Kept avoiding him just so she could avoid the conversation that would follow if they saw each other? For two whole days she had been trying to keep away from Inuyasha and it … bothered her. A lot. She hated not seeing him, hated not being with him, hated sleeping alone in her cold bed.

But could she really marry him? Just because two gods said so? No. She really didn't think she could, but … if she kept saying no, did that mean she'd lose him? Gods, she couldn't do that. She didn't want to lose Inuyasha. She loved him.

For him, she'd do anything, maybe even get married? She sighed at the thought while she turned off her computer and started to pack up her things. It wasn't like she had gotten a lot down at work that day to start out with. But before she could get up to start her walk home, the phone on her desk rang. Without thinking she answered it. "Higurashi Kagome."

"Come up to my office," Inuyasha said. She felt a pang from just hearing his voice and another from the sound of his phone meeting the receiver. That was one way of getting her attention. Though a part of her didn't want to, she still found herself going up stairs to meet him in his office like he requested.

It was probably best that they get the mess sorted out sooner rather than later, she supposed. She took a deep breath in before knocking on the door then stepping in to see him leaning against the front of his desk. His auburn gaze fixated on her instantly as she shut the door behind her.

"Hi," she murmured.

"We have two options here, Kagome," Inuyasha began. He got why she was trying to avoid him for the past two days, he did. The whole thing scared her. It scared him, too, but he knew they couldn't put it off much longer. Izanagi had come up to him _again_ that day at work. It was a weird, weird thing when he was the more mature one in the relationship.

When he was willing to face their problem head on, Kagome was ready to run. He just hoped she didn't plan on doing that again. He really didn't feel like chasing after her to have this conversation.

"What are they?" she cautiously questioned. She took a couple steps closer to him, still a good distance separated them as she looked over his office - anywhere but at him.

"We get married," he watched her cringe at the notion. "Just listen, we get married. It can just be for show, for your protection and to please the gods, but we act like we're still dating. We don't think of each other as husband a wife. And once Naraku is dealt with, we can get a divorce and just continue to date or … see whether or not we really want to be married still."

A faux marriage, she would rather have one of those than an actual one at that point in time. So, her hazels finally shifted to meet his gaze. "And the other?"

"We split up. For good this time." She cringed at the thought of that, too, more so than at the first option. For that, he was grateful. He didn't like that idea, either. He … didn't know what he'd do without her anymore. Surely he would survive, he'd probably get over it with time, but he didn't want to have to. He'd rather be with her than without her.

"Inuyasha." She took the final steps to close the gap between them. Lightly, she reached out to force him to unfold his arms and take his hands. Her ginger gaze refused to look up from the way he let her slip her fingers in between his. She didn't know what she was going to do but ... she knew in that moment she'd do anything that would keep them together.

That would let him remain hers, and her remain his. She never wanted to be anyone else's and hated the idea of him with another. So … if that meant sacrificing what the type of life she had always envisioned for herself then so be it.

Because, somehow, Inuyasha had become the center of her world. What the hell would she do if she lost her center?

She took a shaky breath in as she looked up to finally meet his gaze. "Kagome, I need an answer. Soon would be best."

She swallowed, forcing herself to find the will to say, "Let's get married."

Instantly, he felt a weight off his shoulders. He could tell, easily, that that wasn't what she wanted but it wasn't what he wanted, either. It was just what needed to happen.

"It's just for show, Kagome, remember that." He didn't see why they had to act any different than before. He just hoped that was the case … that even though they'd get new titles with one another, things didn't have to change. He liked things the way they were.

"Right," she mumbled back. Just for show … somehow she doubted it could be that simple.

"Do you want to go get something to eat?" he asked. He rubbed her soft skin with his thumb. He watched as she gave a small shake of her head. "Want to go back to mine and order in?"

"I can't right now. I need to go do something, but I'll come over in say two or three hours?"

"Going to visit your grandpa?" He guessed, the old geezer caught a cold a couple of days ago and while it wasn't anything drastic, he was ancient so Kagome was worried about his health. He watched her nod. All he got was a light kiss in the cheek before she left.

Telling her mother that she was going to get married to Inuyasha was out of the question. If it was just going to be for show for the supernatural community then it was also not necessary. If, someday, Inuyasha and her decided they _really_ wanted to be husband and wife then she'd get married to him the proper way and invite her friends and family to watch.

At least … that's what she thought. That pretty little delusion was shattered the moment she walked in through the back door into the kitchen to see her mother at the table with no other than Inutaisho sharing a pot of tea. He smiled at her, when he saw her, and her mother got up to greet her even.

"Inuyasha's father stopped by, he figured since you two are so serious that we might as well meet since we could become in-laws soon enough," her mother joked as she led her daughter back to the table before getting another tea cup out for her.

In-laws … soon enough. Ha. She could almost laugh at that but it wasn't haha funny. It was just sad… since that was the truth.

They'd be in-laws sooner than she even thought possible.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** So, I sort of got over my writers block. It still took a long time to write this chapter and its not everything I want but to get everything I want into it it would take me probably like another week to update... besides, the next chapter needs more content. I just am in the mood for something more like angsty and depressing than this story or more kinky and fun like A Doll For All. I don't know._

_I hope you all enjoyed the chapter anyway and continue to enjoy the story._

_I would appreciate reviews. Any length, any amount. Thank you._

**Next Chapter: Fleeing Feelings**


	23. Fleeing Feelings

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 23: Fleeing Feelings<em>**

"Settle down," Inutaisho requested after he watched her mother walk out of the room to answer the ringing phone. Slowly, his gaze shifted to the highly annoyed girl beside him. "I didn't tell her how you are now engaged to my son." At that, he could hardly hold back a sly smile. "I am happy to hear that you finally agreed to it."

"It's hardly how I imagined the situation," Kagome complained, "when I thought about getting married, I always thought about it being with someone I actually _wanted_ to get married to. And _my_ decision, not some stupid gods."

For a moment, Inutaisho frowned at the thought. He could understand the difficulties in the position she was placed in but he was also sure with time she would not be so upset. Surely, her and his son belonged together. Perhaps they were not meant to get married so soon but they would have done so eventually.

"I am _not_ telling my mother," she stated stiffly, "I'll marry Inuyasha, but if we ever decide we actually want to be then we'll have another ceremony. One for friends and family, then I'll tell her. Otherwise, she'll just think we're dating and only the supernatural community will know that we are… married."

"Are you sure you want to keep such a secret from your mother?"

To that, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. She kept a lot of things a secret from her mother, generally anything related to the supernatural community she found herself stuck in all of a sudden so what difference did it make? To her, she wouldn't really think of Inuyasha as a husband. It'd be purely for show.

"Believe me, I'm perfectly fine not telling her that we're getting married. Whenever that's happening," she grumbled the end. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She wasn't supposed to be forced to marry Inuyasha, even if she did love him. She didn't want to yet… in a couple of years, sure, she was certain if they were still together she'd happily say yes to him.

"You… and Inuyasha are getting married?" A stunned woman inquired behind the both of them. Each tensed up some before Kagome slowly managed to turn around to see her mother standing there, wide-eyed, looking at her only daughter. That would explain why his father decided to show up to introduce himself all of a sudden. She knew her daughter was in love with Inuyasha, that he meant a great deal to her, but she didn't know how serious they were…

In just seven months of a relationship, her daughter thought getting married was a good idea? That hardly seemed liked something her ever so sensible Kagome would do.

"Uh… well… you see…" Kagome stuttered, she didn't know what to say. Oh, why did her mom have to return to overhear _that_ part of the conversation? Quickly, her hazels turned to Inutaisho to plea for his assistance. A way out of this situation.

"And you weren't going to tell me?" her mother whispered so softly that it hurt her daughter all the more.

"She wanted to wait," Inutaisho explained as he stood up to walk over to the women, he could tell instantly she had nymphs blood in her the moment she answered the door. Not merely because of her scent, but the aura she had around her. How, in a flash, he liked her. That was usually how it went with someone with such blood, even if it had gone dormant from the lack of shikon in her.

"Until?" her mother dragged out.

"Inuyasha could ask for your permission," Inutaisho stated.

For a while, she remained quiet as she looked from the man to her daughter than back again. "I was just about to start preparing dinner, tell him to come over. We can talk about this then."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Inutaisho assured her with a smile as pulled out his phone and walked away so that he could call his son.

Oh hell… how could things end up so wrong? Kagome took a series of deep breaths as she shut her eyes. Somehow she'd get through this. It was just another trial in her life and another thing that would make her a stronger person… right?

Still, she couldn't feel anything but nauseas when Inuyasha finally arrived so that the five of the - her grandpa had joined them - to sit down for dinner. When he reached out to take one of her hands she instinctively moved it away from his reach. She knew it wasn't his fault. That he didn't want to get married now, maybe someday, but surely not now but…

Faking delight during dinner was hard enough as it was, she was certain that having Inuyasha holding her hand would only make it more difficult. Only reminder her all the more of what was to come. Ignoring his curious glances to her was almost as difficult as pretending like she was happy.

"Why do you want to get married so soon?" her grandfather finally asked the question on all their minds. His old hazels narrowed upon the man sitting across from him.

"I love your granddaughter," Inuyasha stated simply. He did, too. He had been in love with her for a while, would he rather wait to get married? Yeah. But he didn't have that option… he also didn't think that he'd have to endure a dinner to explain his intentions with her family. He had assumed she just wouldn't be telling them.

His fucking father had to go and screw everything up by stopping in to introduce himself to her family. That idiot, he should have known better. Yet, his answer didn't seem to be good enough for her grandpa. His stare said that.

"I don't see the point of waiting to verify what I already know," he added, finally when he reached out Kagome allowed him to take her hand from under the table and raise it up onto it. Though, he was fairly certain it was just for show - to prove to her family she was alright with the situation. But she wasn't… and he knew it.

"And what do you already know?" Her mother inquired to gain his attention away from her father-in-law.

"That I want to spend the rest of my life with Kagome," he even squeezed her hand to emphasize the point. It really amazed him a bit that he was able to say that with such conviction. He didn't know that. He knew he wanted to continue to be _with_ her but to spend the rest of his life with just one person…? He wasn't sure.

He didn't even know if he ever actually wanted to get married. It's not like it was a requirement, his father never got married and he even had two kids along the way. But… whatever. Such circumstances were out of his control and he just had to deal with that so he would. He'd marry Kagome, temporarily, and see how things went.

Her mother just looked from Inuyasha to Kagome, who gave her as real of a smile as she could before she said, "I want this, mom. You got married when you were around my age."

She sighed at that thought, "Kagome, you know I knew your father all my life. We had been dating since I was sixteen years old… I think you two are moving quickly but… if this really makes you happy, Kagome, then I'm fine with it."

"If you hurt my grandbaby," her grandpa began as he pointed square at Inuyasha, "I'll curse you."

"Right," he had been threatened with that many times by the old man. "I'll avoid doing that then."

And… just like that, she was apparently officially engaged.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Kagome _needed_ time alone. Far away from everyone else, especially her supposed fiancé. Her insides twisted with anxiety, her mind wandered with all the horrible possibilities that this could bring about, and worst of all she just felt… awful. When she finally got engaged she should have been the happiest girl in the world.

But she wasn't supposed to be engaged at twenty-two. At first, she thought that they'd be allowed to prolong the engagement as long as they wanted. If so, she could deal with that. Maybe extend it a year or two? Then when they actually got married both of them might have wanted it. That sounded perfect to her, and Inuyasha, but Izanagi and Izanami vetoed that idea.

They had to get married as soon as possible.

"Dumb gods," Kagome grumbled bitterly to herself as she took a seat on a swing within a playground that she found herself at. She didn't even know how long she had been wandering or where exactly she was. All she knew was that it was dark and when she had started it had been right after she got off work and the sun was still in the sky. "Stupid, stupid, nosey, intrusive, dumb gods."

"I wouldn't let them catch you saying that," startled her enough that she jumped off the swing to see a man standing next to the swing set. In a moment, she relaxed. It was just Suikotsu, and though she had never really socialized with the man before she knew he was essentially harmless.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome questioned with a lifted brow.

"Kikyou and I live just up the street," he explained as he pointed up, "I was on my way home."

"Oh," that made sense, she supposed, so she sat back down and looked around at the apartment complexes and shops that were near them. "It looks like a nice place to live."

"I think it is," he assured her as he walked around to sit on the swing next to her.

"Really kid friendly area," she observed.

"That's why we picked it," Suikotsu said with a small shrug, "we'd like to have a family someday. I heard what Izanagi and Izanami did, how they have arranged for you and Inuyasha to get married. I'm sorry about that."

"Thanks," she muttered as her hazels shifted down to the ground.

"Kikyou and I were pushed together by one of the gods, too, but it ended well," he explained while his greyish gaze shifted over the obviously displeased damsel. "You and Inuyasha probably don't want to wed so soon, am I right?" he just waited until she gaze a week nod, "maybe… it will lead to good things, like it has for Kikyou and I."

"I love him," she insisted as she turned her stare from the floor to Suikotsu, "I… just don't know if I want to be married to him."

For a while, the two just sat there in the silence of the night. Slowly, a strange metallic nose began to annoy Kagome. She just wanted to wallow in her self-pity in peace and quiet for a while and something that sounded like a tank moving up the hill kept getting in the way of that. So, finally, she turned around to see what it was - only to see Suikotsu had apparently already risen from the swing beside her to walk to the edge of the playground.

Slowly, a monstrosity came into sight. A large man with metal replacing things that should be flesh and beside him a bald man with what appeared to be a flame-thrower in hand. Cautiously, Kagome got up to walk just a bit closer only to have Suikotsu motion for her to stop.

"Ginkotsu, Renkotsu, what are you two doing?" Suikotsu inquired as his gaze shifted between them. "You shouldn't be showing yourselves in public like this."

The bald one laughed dryly at that before he said, "simply because you, brother, chose to live in the human's shadows does not mean we have to. How could you fight beside those who have killed some of us?"

For a while, Suikotsu only remanded mute before he glanced over his shoulder to Kagome, "you should most likely leave now."

"That's hardly going to happen," Renkotsu stated sharply, "Naraku wants her back so we're taking her to him."

"I can't let you do that," Suikotsu stated softly as he reached into his jacket, "please don't make me fight you."

"I am not making you do anything," Renkotsu insisted.

Kagome hardly understood what was going on but if Suikotsu knew them… then they must be part of the Shichinintai, his brothers. The tension in the air was so thick that she felt as if even she might choke. Surely the situation was only going to go from bad to worse, much worse, so she slowly slid her hand into her pocket to try and get her phone.

Instantly, the half-metal half-person turned a gun that was mounted on his shoulder to her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, just stand there are look pretty," Renkotsu threatened as his gaze hardened upon her. "Try to call that nasty boyfriend of yours and we'll just kill you and tell Naraku we hadn't any other choice."

"Stay still, Kagome," Suikotsu instructed as he looked over to her, trying to give her something akin to a reassuring smile. "I will handle this, do not worry."

"Suikotsu, just give her to us, don't make this difficult," Renkotsu requested while his attention shifted back to his brother. "I will kill you if I have to."

"I can't do that," was the last thing she heard before the brothers began their clash. Suikotsu weapon of choice was some sort of clawed blade that he placed upon his hands while Renkotsu tried to cast flames upon him. All the while, the large mechanic thing kept aim on Kagome so that she couldn't budge to help or even try to call for back-up.

Her hazels constantly shifted between the gun upon her and the deadly dance that Renkotsu and Suikotsu were part of, grunts of pain could be heard every once and a while when she saw Suikotsu get burned or Renkotsu get cut. At least the brothers weren't ganging up on Suikotsu or else he would have no hope whatsoever.

That was the last thought she had before she heard a horrible scream from Suikotsu and the sound of flesh being pierced. Her hazels instantly shifted from the gun to see a knife being withdrawn from Suikotsu so he could fall upon the ground. Reluctantly, Renkotsu looked at what he did before putting his knife away and letting a frown cascaded across his lips.

"You made me do that," Renkotsu muttered.

"How could you do that to your own brother?" Kagome cried out as she tried to take a step forward only to hear what sounded like Ginkotsu load his gun.

"Don't you start with me, bitch," Renkotsu ordered as he pointed his finger to her, "this is your fault!"

Yes… she knew it. She knew it was her fault, Suikotsu was hurt - maybe even dying - and it was _her_ fault. He was just protecting her… fighting his own family to make sure Naraku didn't get her. He was a good person, just like everyone said.

Those thoughts, too, were blown away when a blue blaze shot their Renkotsu. If he could scream, he surely would have, but it happened too quickly. In an instant, he fell to the ground. Dead, just like he deserved to be.

Ginkotsu turned all his weaponry towards the source of the blast, just as Kagome turned her attention towards her left to see who that was. Kikyou stood there with an empty bow in hand, a hard expression on her face, as she pointed it towards Ginkotsu. Before he could even get a shot off, another blow blaze - almost arrow like - shot out of her bow to pierce him through the head so the big lug could fall to the ground with a large thud.

Without a word, Kikyou hurried past Kagome to get to her fallen husband. Though he was able to reach out and take her hand when she knelt down next to him Kagome could tell from the blood loss that it was bad…

Bad and all her fault.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"I should have been there," she heard him say, probably for the tenth time, since he had arrived at Gami. She hadn't called him, she didn't see the point in it, but his father had. Apparently, all the VPs had to come in to address what had happened. All she could notice, all that really mattered to her for the time, was the crushed look upon Kikyou's face.

She had never really spoken to the women, but each time she saw her she seemed so strong… now, she seemed so broken. And that was all her fault, because _she_ had gotten Suikotsu into that mess. He had just stopped to talk to her on his walk home and that led… led to his death.

Suikotsu was dead and it was her fault.

She swallowed back the ache at that thought as her eyes fell to the floor. Her eyes that stung, that wanted to shed tears, but couldn't. If she had just gone home instead then everything would have been fine.

"I," Kikyou started, only to swallow and take a shaky breath in so she could find the strength to continue, "thought it was strange when Suikotsu didn't show up… so I went out looking for him. I didn't get far before I sensed other demons so I returned and got my bow. When… when I got there it was too late."

"You single handedly took out two members of the Shichinintai, Kikyou, that's very impressive," Inutaisho insisted.

"It was too late," she repeated all the same. Her husband had already been fatally stabbed and they couldn't get him to Gami where there would be a healer in time.

He was… gone.

"I'm sorry, Kikyou," Inuyasha said softly. He had treated Suikotsu like shit once he found out he was related to the Shichinintai that attacked him and Kagome and what did he do in return? He protected Kagome… he died protecting Kagome, _from_ the Shichinintai. Really, he couldn't have been more grateful.

It was probably horrible, but he'd take Suikotsu dying a thousand times over losing Kagome.

"That's four, if I'm correct," Sesshomaru started, "four Shichinintai members that have been killed. Since we are, obviously, excluding Suikotsu from them, then that leaves two. The strongest if I am not mistaken."

"Bankotsu and Jakotsu," Inutaisho confirmed with a nod, "it worries me some that Bankotsu hasn't shown himself… he is the leader, you'd think with four of his brethren being slain he'd come out of wherever he is hiding to try and seek revenge."

"Suikotsu said," Kikyou slowly started, "that… he only ever really cared about Jakotsu, the rest meant nothing to him."

"I see," the CEO replied softly ,"Kikyou, please, take all the time you need. I understand if you do not wish to come to work for some time."

With that, she just nodded before standing up and leaving the room. For a while no one spoke, but matters needed to be attended to, and Sesshomaru would see to it.

"I'll make arrangements for Suikotsu's funeral," Sesshomaru stated as he rose up to leave, "I'll also notify the board if you would like, father."

"I'd appreciate that, Sesshomaru," one of Inutaisho's least favorite activities was notifying the board, or really anyone, of a death. It had been ages since such a thing was necessary. Fights like the ones the Shichinintai continuously started hadn't been a problem for decades now. What was the source of all this problem? All the pain at Gami now?

Naraku.

It was really starting to burn Inutaisho that no one could locate the low-life. If they could, he'd cease to be a problem. Sure, he had a large chunk of the shikon but did that mean he was stronger than Inutaisho? No. He doubted it. He was centuries old, they could trace Naraku's creation back to only six decades ago. Of course he would need something to enhance his strength, he was weak from being so young.

More than anything, Inutaisho would like to squash the bug.

"Goddamn it," Kouga grunted, "this fucker is becoming a serious pain in our asses. He's killed one of the best of us now… fuck. I swear, if I ever get my hands on that motherfucker I'll end him."

"I think we all feel the same way," Inutaisho responded with a nod before turning his attention to Inuyasha and Kagome. The latter was just staring at the table, once again moving her hand just slightly out of Inuyasha's reach the few times he attempted to grab it. His son kept his gaze shifting between the obviously upset girl to the center of the table.

It wasn't hard to see, the whole engagement matter was a strain on their relationship. If they just added the problems caused that night to it, then there was a good chance they'd break apart. It was strange… Inutaisho had thought it would be Inuyasha who would get into a tiff over the fact that they were being forced into a marriage more so than Kagome, yet it wasn't like that. His son was taking it like a man, he was dealing with it and moving forward. While Kagome… Inutaisho had half a mind to think that she'd flee from the problem all together.

"Kouga, can you excuse us?" Inutaisho inquired, without a word Kouga just nodded and got up to leave.

"What?" Inuyasha asked after the wolf youkai was gone.

"You two don't have to worry about the wedding preparations, I'll handle it. Is there any special requests you have for the ceremony, Kagome?"

"I hardly think that now is the time to talk about that," she snapped back as she finally turned her attention to something other than the table - Inutaisho. "A man just died tonight."

"Yes, and while that's tragic, it's unchangeable, we need to move forward now. It will be dealt with, the remainder of the Shichinintai will be found and destroyed, and we will get Naraku."

To that, Kagome only let out one dry laugh, "right, how well has that been working for you? How _long_ are you going to say that and not do a damn thing?"

"So says the girl who has been to his lair and yet cannot tell us where it is," Inutaisho retorted.

"That's not fair," Inuyasha insisted, "we all know that there is a spell on his place, that's why Kagome can't remember where it is."

"I just want to go home," Kagome stated as she stood up.

"I'll take you," Inuyasha offered, though they both knew it was more like a demand. She couldn't be out of his sight with what had already happened that night.

Apparently, Inutaisho was thinking something similar, "shouldn't you two move in together? You'll be married and it would be the safest thing for Kagome."

"I… guess," Inuyasha replied, he had been thinking about that himself but hadn't gotten the opportunity to bring it up to Kagome. Really, since they were forced into their engagement he hadn't any sort of opportunity with her. She made an effort to stay as far away from him as possible… as if it was _his_ fault that they had to get married.

When, in reality, it was hers. It was because of _her_ blood that Izanagi and Izanami wanted them to get married. It was because of _her_ importance to Naraku. It just so happened that they thought connecting her to the Takamoru family was the best idea, so really, it hadn't anything to do with him.

More than anything, he wanted to tell her that, complain about how she had been acting, but in that moment he knew better. She was hurting from what had happened… probably even felt guilty. Suikotsu had only been killed because he was protecting her after all.

To Inutaisho's point, all Kagome could muster up with a groan of annoyance before she waved it off and left the room.

"Kagome," Inuyasha started after he followed her out, "what he is saying is true you'd be safer-"

"I thought that was the whole point of this stupid marriage," she snapped as she slammed her hand against the down button at the elevator.

"I don't know what you fucking want me to say," Inuyasha retorted quickly, "what can I say to make you stop acting like this? It's driving me crazy! It's not like I want this anymore than you do, Kagome!"

"I don't want to fight with you right now," she countered as she entered the elevator, "just take me home."

"That's a surprise," he grumbled sarcastically as he walked in to lean against the wall, "you haven't wanted to do much of anything with me lately, so why would you want to talk?"

She just shook her head and rolled her eyes at that, knowing all the while that it was going to be one hell of a long car ride home.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"It's not your fault," Ayame had told her when she came home and started to cry over what had happened. "It's not… Suikotsu was just a good guy doing the right thing. It's not something you should blame yourself over."

But it was. How could she feel anything less than guilty over what had happened? That's why when Thursday finally rolled around and she was supposed to go to dinner at her home she didn't want to… but she did, because she was supposed to act all happy and whatnot over the prospect of marrying Inuyasha.

Inuyasha… she really hadn't seen him the past couple of days. That wasn't out of lack of him trying, just her avoiding him. She knew it was wrong, that he didn't do anything wrong, but she just wanted to be alone for the time being. She didn't want to have to deal with him.

The only time she really saw him all week was when they attended Suikotsu's funeral. She did find herself holding his hand throughout the entire experience but… they didn't really speak and as soon as it was over she went home with Ayame and Kaede.

That was why she was far from happy to see Inutaisho at the dinner table when she got there, or to hear that Inuyasha would be joining them. At least her mother seemed happier than normal, "Inutaisho and I have been planning the wedding. Oh, it will be so exciting! Apparently, he knows of a quaint little place in Nikko that we can hold the ceremony. Won't that be lovely?"

"Yeah," she forced herself to say with a smile even. So lovely. So perfect. So… not what she wanted. Well, that wasn't true, if she was really getting married she would probably like to do it out Tokyo and Nikko was a pretty place but… she didn't want to do it _now_.

"Hey, Inuyasha!" She heard Souta call out after the door opened and shut. At least that was one plus, when she told Souta that she'd be getting married to Inuyasha he thought it was awesome. He would have an older brother type to look up to now. And he did think Inuyasha was cool already.

"Hey, kid," he replied with a wave as he walked into the kitchen area where the dinner table had already been set and her mother was getting prepared to serve the food. His eyes wandered briefly over everyone who was there to end up on the last seat available. The one right between Kagome and Souta.

And that commenced the awkward dinner where the two soon-to-be married hardly spoke to one another. Each talked plenty to the rest, yet barely glanced at the other. No one seemed to think it odd, no one really even noticed, except for Inutaisho. Apparently, they hadn't sorted out whatever their issues were yet.

"You two need to sort out whatever is going on," Inutaisho instructed after dinner, when he was able to pull Inuyasha to the side alone.

"It's her, not me, she's the one freaking out and not talking to me," he grunted.

"Then, for once, you'll have to be the more mature one in the situation, Inuyasha."

He didn't want to be the mature one… he liked it when Kagome was and he didn't have to over think things but apparently that wasn't an option anymore.

"We need to talk," Inuyasha stated as soon as he was able to get near Kagome without anyone else around. Reluctantly, she nodded and motioned for him to follow her outside. That was probably the only place they could hold a private conversation. "You need to stop freaking out, or whatever it is you are doing, and just accept what's happening. I already told you not to think about this like an actual marriage. Just think about it let we're dating, remember?"

"How can I when my family thinks we are actually getting married now?" she complained as she folded her arms, "this isn't easy on me, Inuyasha."

"You are making that painfully obvious to everyone," he countered, "so, what? You think this is easy for me, too? That I _want_ this? Please, Kagome, tell me why you are being such a brat lately. Why you apparently think that this is all _my_ fault?"

"I'm a brat?" was the only part of that she chose to address.

He just took a deep breath in to sigh and shake his head, "you are impossible sometimes."

"I don't know what you want from me," Kagome dared to say, which quickly earned her a harsh glare from Inuyasha.

"Seriously? I want you to act _normal_ like you did before! I just want things to be like they used to be. We were going so well before and now…"

"How am I supposed to do that?" she inquired quickly, "how? _How_ when we are in such a different situation? I can't. I am sorry, but I just can't."

"Then what? We're just going to be like this from now on?" he complained, "you not talking to me, avoiding me, and being a general bitch all the time?"

"Shut up, Inuyasha," she ordered with a wave of her hand, "I can't deal with you right now."

"When _will_ you be able to deal with all of this, huh? Because running away from this conversation isn't going to help," but that apparently didn't matter, because she did just that anyway.

And the next day, she'd go a step further. She'd get on a train and head out of Tokyo, far, far, away from all it. For once, she'd just flee from her feelings.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** This chapter took forever for me to write... I should probably have gone over it once more to check for errors, and I will again later. Hope you are still enjoying the story and please continue to review._

_Thanks everyone.  
><em>

**Next Chapter: **_Not So Happy Ending_**  
><strong>


	24. Not So Happy Ending

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 24: Not So Happy Ending<em>**

Ninnaji was a beautiful sight. It was one of the many great temples in Kyoto and founded in 888. Over the many centuries a member of the Imperial Family used to serve as Nannaji's head priest. There were plenty of gardens to see, all of which green and peaceful, then there were plenty of cherry trees. But Higurashi Kagome's favorite spot was the Pagoda building that was a five story building.

It seemed amazing that the building was still standing after so long.

Kyoto was lovely, and not nearly as big and hectic as Tokyo was. It was exactly what she needed, a peaceful break from everything to try and grasp all that had happened. The guilt still pulsed through her over what had occurred only a couple of nights ago. Suikotsu was dead and that was on her…

Kikyou's happily ever after was ruined, again that was her fault. And now she was slowly ruining her relationship with Inuyasha by being a "bitch" as he said it. Sixteen missed calls, and about twenty unread messages, were all things she chose to ignore. Most of which were from Inuyasha.

He knew where she was, well sort of, because she had told him she was going away for the long weekend with Ayame. She just neglected to say where. But she felt that it was necessary, that it was even more than that, it was the best thing for them at the time. They needed to be apart.

After the weekend, she would have accepted all that had happened and she'd know how to fix what she had broken with Inuyasha even. He had been great during everything, trying his utmost to make amends for what was out of both of their control. That was wrong, she should have been trying to fix things, too. but she hadn't been. Really, she had only been making everything worse.

"It's it beautiful here?" snapped her out of her daze, with a faint smile she looked over to her emerald eyed friend. "I love Ninnaji. I'm so glad you got to come with me, Kagome. My parents love you after all."

"I'm really glad I came, too," Kagome replied with a nod. "It's been too long since I've come to Kyoto."

"You should have just agreed to stay with us, you could have shared my bed," Ayame taunted as she tugged her friend's arm, "I hate to think of you all alone in a hotel."

"It's alright. Besides, I think three is a crowd in a bed, Ayame." After all, they didn't have to pay rent so she had plenty of money saved up for a three day weekend in Kyoto. Just thinking about that made another pang pulse through her. The fact that she didn't have to pay rent was thanks to her boyfriend - well, fiancé - Inuyasha. He had done that out of love for her… and what did she do?

Act utterly immature about the situation and seem like a bit of a bitch. No, a bit would have been an understatement. She was ridiculously rude to him. He didn't like what was going on anymore than she did but he was trying to deal with it. He was _trying_ to deal with it _with_ her and she denied him that.

A heavy sigh left her lips then. She could be horrible sometimes, when she got back to Tokyo she'd ask him to forgive her and hope that he wouldn't stay mad at her for too long. Did she want to get married to Inuyasha…? No. But she loved him, just like he loved her.

Such thoughts lingered in her mind almost endlessly as she wandered around the area before meeting with those she came to the gorgeous place with. The scene she saw was sickening to her, though she knew it shouldn't. Kouga and Ayame waiting by the car he had rented acting all lovey-dovey.

She had thought her friend was over him, that she was against his advances completely, but somewhere along the way she broke down and let him back in. Thinking, apparently, that that would end his interest in her. Yet it didn't… surprisingly, it only sparked a deeper one.

"Kagome," Kouga greeted once he noticed her there. The two parted some so that they could get into the car together.

"I don't know what it is, but when I'm with her, I think… I should settle down," Kouga had told her on the train ride out to Kyoto. Kagome wasn't so certain that she trusted the guy not to hurt Ayame again but… Ayame did. She really wasn't one to lecture others about their romance life when hers was in such disarray.

It was really only because Kouga was going that Kagome agreed to go visit Kyoto with Ayame like she had been begging her to do for weeks. If one of the VPs were there, then she would probably be safe. And… as awful as it might sound, in the back of her head, if someone had to get hurt protecting her then she didn't think she'd mind too greatly if it was Kouga.

After all, she was hardly fond of the guy regardless of how much her best friend apparently liked him. Liked him enough that she'd introduce him to her parents. That didn't shock her, when Ayame was in an actual relationship she moved quickly and gives her heart away even quicker but… what did surprise her was that Kouga agreed to it.

Moreover, Kagome had been watching him ever so closely on the trip to see if he _actually_ wanted to be there or if he just didn't think he could say no when Ayame asked him to come to Kyoto to meet her parents. Not once did she see a flash of annoyance or anything of the sort, he seemed to authentically be enjoying himself. He never really had a functional family life, so being a part of one was different. He liked it.

Unintentionally, his crystal blue gaze caught her staring at him and that seemed to spark a conversation of sorts between the two. One she would much rather not have with him of all people. "Inuyasha called me today to see if I knew where you were."

"I left him a message," she countered as her eyes shifted to the window to watch the scenery pass them by, all of which she found pretty. Maybe she just needed to get out of Tokyo… she had lived there her whole life. Moving elsewhere might do her some good.

"He mentioned that, but you neglected to say where you were going," he said.

"Did you tell him I was here?"

The pause was an answer but he verbalized it anyway, "yeah, he sounded worried. Besides, with all the shit that happens with Naraku… I figured it was best for everyone to know where you were, just in case."

"But that's why you are here," Ayame interrupted as she caressed his arm, "why we have a big, strong, sexy Vice President of Gami with us. To make sure nothing happens to my good friend."

"Is that the only reason?" he asked with a grin as he glanced over to her, which only sparked another blah blah blah session that could make her ill. For a moment, she wondered if that was how Ayame felt when she was stuck with Inuyasha and her. Did they really act like that…?

Probably. When they were getting along and she wasn't ruining everything… which was exactly what she was doing.

At that thought, another sigh left her lips as she lightly smacked her head against the back of her seat.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Immediately Higurashi Kagome could feel that there was something wrong after she slid her hotel key card in the door to open it up and took a step into the dark room. There was someone else in the room, she could feel another's presence. She held her hand as she slowly started to back out and reach for her phone at the same time.

Neither things were fully accomplished before someone grasped her arm and yanked her in to slam the door. Her hear sped ten times faster than she thought possible. Maybe it was wrong of her to stay at a hotel instead of at Ayame's house where Kouga happened to be. No, it surely was.

Then the lights flipped on and her anxiety drifted away. Her whole body relaxed as she looked over the man that held her arm tightly. Angry as he appeared, she knew that he was the last person in the world that would hurt her.

"What the fuck," he finally said as he let her go and took a step away to look around her hotel room. She could guess what he was thinking - too small. It was just a standard one bed room, he'd probably get the penthouse if he was going to go on vacation.

"How'd you get in here?" she asked, even though she knew it wasn't really the pressing question.

"I told the front desk I was your fiancé and wanted to surprise you," he stated then turned to look at her again. His eyes glancing up and down her until she set her purse down. "All of which is true."

"You surprised me alright," she assured him as she walked over to him.

"You leave without telling me -"

"I left a message." She muttered, though she knew that didn't help the situation.

"A message that didn't tell me where you were going! I was worried," he snapped, "you idiot. What if something were to happen to you?"

"That's why I came with Kouga," she added with a bit of a frown as ran her hands down his shirt, which earned his attention but didn't seem to appease him in the least.

"Fucking Kouga," he grunted bitterly. Certainly he was about to say more, go on a rant about how idiotic her leaving like that was, how annoying, how this and how that but she stopped him before he could start. She pressed her lips to his, yet he pushed her away to say, "you can't just do that - after all the bullshit lately."

At first, she just nodded at that before pulling his shirt again and leaning forward so that their lips could once again unite. He pulled her away again but she did it and again and again… so he gave up and let her finally pull him close then he wrapped wrapping his arms around her to pin her body against his. Their lips locked so tightly for a bit that she wasn't sure if they could be separated.

Next he pried her lips apart so that their tongues could tangle to match the way his hands seemed to ravish her body. His hands slid down her back until he could grip her rear, his other hand began to unzip her dress. That was the first time they parted, so she could step aside and let it fall to the ground. In a mere three seconds she popped off her bra to let that, too, cascaded downwards.

In another second they were against each other again, his shirt was cast aside, her hands worked to undo his pants and force them to the ground. Quickly, he pushed her onto the bed and for a moment he admired the way her breasts bounced. Their eyes locked as he knelt on the bed to lean over her, slowly she lied all the way down before their lips met again.

Gods, both were more than a bit excited. They hadn't had sex since their engagement and it was driving them both crazy. Her lips down his cheek, to his jaw line, to his neck, and then to his chest. Her hands glided down her arms until she found his hand to slide off his ring. She preferred him au naturel.

A gasp rushed out of her lips when she felt him insert a digit below to prep her. He was already hard with anticipation, it had been silently killing him that she continuously evaded his touch. It had been a long time since they went more than a week without sex.

She was already wet, apparently she must have felt the same way, but he still ran his fingers down her folds until he found her clit to fiddle with briefly. The groan he got in return was welcoming, one that was begging him to go further so he did. He yanked off his boxers and plunged in to pump in and out of her with all his vigor.

Her moans and gasps for _more_ were welcomed, the way her hips moved along with his beat were perfect. They way the united, the way their bodies worked together, if that wasn't a sign that they were meant to be together he didn't know what was. Her legs then wrapped around him to pull him deeper into her.

"F_uuuc_k," he groaned as he propped himself up with a hand to pound into her quicker. He then tilted her body up more. He was so focused on the feeling of his release coming, the tightness around him, the little noises that only she ever made for him. In an instant glory both felt the bliss they sought hit them.

Satisfied, at least, somewhat with the turn of events, Inuyasha found his way to lying beside her on what he considered another 'small bed'. Full-size, they were useless. Queen or above were better in his opinion, but that wasn't what he wanted to let his mind focus on.

Finally, he managed to find his words again, "when… has anything good happened when you go off on your own like this, Kagome? How stupid can you be?"

He had a point. A very good point, in fact, but she wasn't exactly alone this time. Kouga was there and he was supposedly the second strongest VP. It depended on who you asked, and if you asked Kagome she'd say third - there simply was no way he was stronger than Inuyasha. Perhaps Sesshomaru was, who was always said to be the most powerful, but him beating Inuyasha in a fair fight? Kagome doubted it.

Actually, after seeing Kikyou in action, she doubted Kouga could take her on, either.

"I came with Kouga and Ayame," she reminded him which only sparked another growl.

"Fucking Kouga," he grunted, "as if that asshole could protect you if something went wrong."

"I've been really… utterly, extremely, almost unforgivably, bratty and rude to you lately, Inuyasha. I am really sorry," she stated ever so sincerely as she rolled onto her side to prop herself up on one arm and place her other across his chest. That seemed to earn his attention so his golden gaze shifted over to her.

"You think?" He retorted, "you were really bratty, Kagome."

"I know," she muttered softly as she let her fingers slightly stroke his chest lightly.

"I hate being the mature one," he complained further, "I really do. I don't want to be put in that situation again, got it?"

She just smiled at that, it was probably one of the most honest statements he had ever given her. Surely, it did put him in a weird position to be the one handling everything better and even - gods forbid - the _mature_ one. But she was only twenty-two, far younger than him, so wasn't it only far that he had to be like that?

"So," she slowly drew out as she traced her finger tips up to his cheek, "does that mean you forgive me?"

For a while he was quiet before he let out a sigh and said, "yeah… just don't let that happen again. I need you to be more level headed about all of this."

"Yeah, I know," she murmured as she lied her head down on his chest and shut her eyes. "I still love you, Inuyasha, a lot I probably always will it's just… all of this threw me off. I needed time to think."

"Whatever," he grunted, really, he hadn't the energy to stay mad at her. The whole situation wore him out, he'd much rather be in it with her than without her. It would be better as well if they just got on the same page finally. "I need… you not to freak out after what I'm about to tell you."

"I already can tell that I am not going to like this," she mumbled with a sigh.

"The wedding… is scheduled for next weekend."

Instantly, she cringed. So soon? So very, very, soon she'd be married to Inuyasha? _Already_? The anxiety she thought she had gotten rid of suddenly swarmed back into her chest to suffocate her. But, this time, Inuyasha must have anticipated that because he wrapped his arms around her a bit tighter to keep her close - to keep her from running again.

"That's… so soon," she finally managed to say.

"I know," he whispered back, "but like we agreed, we won't think about it like an actual marriage… we'll still just be dating."

To that, she merely found the energy to nod. In one week… she'd be getting married. In one week she would be Takamoru Kagome. In one week… she shivered at the idea.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Nikko was the perfect place. If she were actually getting married she'd like to have the wedding somewhere so pretty, at least that was a positive in the situation. Everything seemed to be set already, everyone was there and ready for the ceremony. It was a mixture between a traditional wedding and a western, one that she would have liked as well.

This way, her mother would accept the large ceremony that had plenty of company members there. After all, in a traditional Japanese wedding, only the bride, groom, and close family would be present while the Shinto priest preformed everything. Her mother was already skeptic about the fact that they were getting married already and truly curious as to why Inutaisho seemed so pressed for time.

Though her mother never asked, Kagome could tell she had been wandering if - perhaps - she would be a grandmother soon and _that_ was really the reason that they were getting married all of a sudden. Just to reassure her that wasn't the case, Kagome made a point to bring up how she would like to wait three or so years before starting a family with Inuyasha.

That was a problem… Inuyasha still didn't _want_ a family and Kagome did - more than anything, she wanted children. At least _one_. She just shook her head as she took a deep breath in and looked into the mirror to see herself. All the way dressed and all dolled up… she was just moments away from being summoned into the room and walked down the aisle by her grandpa.

Her stomach was in knots. Her hazels kept scanning from the mirror to the door. Her mind kept wandering to how soon a taxi could get there to take her away.

No… no. She could run, not again. That would be completely embarrassing for Inuyasha. She couldn't do that, she loved him too much to abandon him like that. Particularly just minutes before they were to be wed. He'd hardly forgive her for running that time.

She wore a white, strapless, skin-tight silky dress that dragged slightly behind her, like a westerner would, but she had a green and gold obi tied around her waist to add depth to the dress. Her hair was up in a curly do that her mother had done for her and Ayame had insisted on doing her make-up. She did look pretty, she knew that, but this whole situation seemed strange to her still.

Then the knock finally came on her door and slowly she turned to see her grandpa walk in and hold out his arm for her. In just a short while she'd be married. Just a couple of minutes… she took a deep breath in and walked over to him then wrapped her arms around his to flash him a smile.

"You look as beautiful as your mother did when she got married," he said to make her feel better.

That was when she started to hear the music… when they began to walk into the room and she could see Inuyasha staring at her from down the aisle. In that moment, she almost felt completely and utterly happy about what was soon to happen. Then she saw Izanagi and Izanami and that feel faded.

Stupid, intrusive, gods.

**.oooOoOooo.**

The reception afterwards was as nice as the ceremony, it was grand, great, and almost ridiculous. There were so many people there… she had never dreamed of a large wedding. She would have rather had a small wedding with just her close friends and family there but _Gami_ had to be there. A lot of people that she didn't even know the name of… she just sighed some as she took the wrap that matched her obi that she wore and tightened it as she looked over the scenery just outside the building.

Right in that moment, it dawned on her that she was officially _Takamoru_ Kagome. She was married to Takamoru Inuyasha. That thought faded instantly when she sensed another nearby, a sensation that was familiar and sickening at the same time… she swallowed as she glanced to the side to see the crimson eyed creeper that she knew would be there.

"I hear you got married," he said with a wicked grin, "so soon, too, how strange."

"G-Go away," Kagome ordered. "There are tons of people from Gami inside."

"Clearly I'm not afraid of any of them," he stated with a sly smile as he walked towards her, she stumbled backwards but she couldn't get all the way away before he grabbed her and pulled her towards him then wrapped a hand around her neck to keep her quiet. She knew what that meant, if she made a peep then he'd make her regret it.

"You'll be coming with me now," he stated stiffly.

A golden slash through the air forced him to leap away from her, the next thing she knew a pair of strong hands were wrapped around her arms to pull her behind a tall figure. It took a moment until it dawned on her that it was Inutaisho, her new father-in-law, there to save her. Instantly, beyond comparison, she was grateful.

"Leave now, or _you_ will regret it," Inutaisho warned, "others will be out shortly."

"If you think merely because _my daughter_ is attached to your filthy family I will be frightened away, you are very wrong," Naraku countered coarsely.

"Perhaps not, but your followers will."

Just as Inutaisho warned, others started to pour out of the reception, and in a puff of purple Naraku was gone. It was horrific how he could ruin something that had been semi-nice so quickly. How… sickened she felt.

How certain she suddenly felt that there wouldn't be a happy ending in her future.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Another chapter that took me a long while to write... anyway, hope you enjoyed, it was rather short. And not grandly eventful. Please review, please continue to read, and all that grand stuff.  
><em>

_Thanks everyone. I appreciate all reviews.  
><em>

**Next Chapter: _Tainted Target_****  
><strong>


	25. Tainted Target

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 25: Tainted Target<em>**

They were married. It seemed so strange, so foreign, so unreal, but they were. She was no longer Higurashi Kagome but now… Takamoru Kagome. It was meant to keep her safe, to help protect her from Naraku, and to intertwine her more with Gami. She wasn't so sure that the marriage actually did any good. After all, the night of it, Naraku showed up anyway.

He wasn't afraid of the Takamorus, he wasn't afraid of Gami, he wasn't afraid of anything. He made it a point to show her that... that was what she was afraid of.

Those were the types of thoughts that kept her from sleeping well, that got her to wake up early and look over the man that slept beside her. Was that how she was really going to wake up for the rest of his life? With Inuyasha by her side, sleeping soundly. She might like that but…

Still she didn't know.

Her hazels shifted from him then to his bedroom. Their bedroom, she guessed was the proper term since they were asked - rather forced - to move in together after the marriage. She felt a little bad about bailing on Ayame and Kaede so soon but it was paid for because of her so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Really… she didn't know if she was ready to live with him but they were both at work so often that it didn't seem like they were together all day every day. But still, they were _living_ together and had been for a whole month. He was a bit messy which annoyed her and she kept touching his stuff which bothered him.

"It's Saturday," caught her attention to get her to turn her hazels down to the golden ones that looked up at her. "And it's eight… so why are you awake?"

"Why are you?" she replied.

"I am going back to sleep," he answered as he turned on his side to shut his lids once more. "You should, too."

"Right," she whispered as she lied back down to look at his back. Sleep would elude her for an hour, though she tried, so she gave up, got up, and took a shower instead. After that she wrapped her robe around herself and towel dried her hair before she started to make breakfast. Some days Inuyasha would sleep in until well after noon, others he'd be up by ten. It depended on how late he stayed up and last night they were in bed by a reasonable time. She went out with her fiends last night instead of staying in with him.

When she got home she passed up the opportunity to have sex, much against his dismay. She simply wasn't in the mood.

"That smells good," she heard right as she was platting everything. She smiled as she looked up to Inuyasha, shirtless, in nothing but his boxers as he walked over to sit on a stool on the counter and wait to be served. He was a lazy ass on the weekends.

"Eat," she requested with a wave of her hands. No more needed to be said, he began to chow down right away. Watching him eat was never something she enjoyed so she took her food and sat down at the table to look out the window while she ate her food. Sometime after she began he must have finished because he worked over to sit down next to her.

"What's wrong? You're acting weird today," Inuyasha asserted to look over his wife. Yes, his wife… it was weird. He never really thought that he would get married. But if he had to then getting married to Kagome was the best plan of actions. She had her off and on moments, like anyone, and lately it seemed to be off. She constantly had second thoughts on the marriage, just as he did, but today she seemed pretty damn off.

"Nothing, tired I guess, I couldn't sleep," she lied with a simple shrug of one shoulder. She didn't even know what it was but that day she just felt… bothered, like she'd rather be left alone. If she just had a day without Inuyasha then she was sure she could recharge and be happy again. It wasn't that she was _unhappy_, it was just that she wasn't feeling like dealing with people right then.

"Why couldn't you sleep?"

"I don't know."

"Kagome," Inuyasha slowly dragged out until she looked to him. He was concerned with her behavior, that much was obvious, but she didn't know what else to say. She just felt like… she shook her head lightly. "Kagome?"

"I don't know, sometimes I just don't sleep well. I mean your bed is comfortable and all but I liked mine better."

"That's it?"

She nodded her head, it was true. Her bed was smaller but she liked it better, but he had to have a _big_ bed. He was intolerable to deal with sometimes. But she loved him anyway, that thought did get her to smile which seemed to ease whatever worry he had.

"You're cute when you worry," she taunted while she reached out to tweak his ear, which got a cold stare in return. "Aw, poor Inu-baby."

"Don't call me that," he ordered, "I dislike that name."

"Inu-honey?"

He shook his head.

"Honey bunny?"

"Stop screwing with me," he grumbled as he leaned back in his seat.

"I love you," she assured him while she reached out to hold his hand, "but sometimes I don't like this whole living together thing."

"Me either, but I guess it's probably just something we are going to have to get use to, huh?"

"I agree," she answered while she returned her gaze to outside the window. Sometimes she wanted to be alone but more often than naught she was perfectly fine with being with Inuyasha. It would just take time to adjust to living together and married. Maybe it would just be temporary… or maybe it would be for forever.

At the time being, she wasn't sure which one she preferred.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Working could be annoying. Sometimes she just didn't want to do it and others she got stuck without any knowledge of how to fix the hitch she was on. Others she just was lazy… that day it was a bit of all. She was annoyed her project, frustrated with being stuck, and generally bored of it. She had been working on it for two months - almost as long as she had been living with her husband.

Sometimes it was still weird to catch the shine of her ring on her left hand. She was _married_. It was odd.

That and how everyone called her _Mrs._ Takamoru… everyone was so much more respectful now that she was _Mrs._ Takamoru. She still had the same set of friends, the ones that were her _actual_ friends, plenty of people wanted to get to know her now that she had the prestigious Takamoru title and the money that came with it.

Ayame, the pretty pregnant Sango, and her were all ready to go to lunch that day but Sango had a meeting that would delay her so just her and her red headed friend made their way to the restaurant that was no more than a block away. It was something they did often but it wasn't supposed to be a problem. It never had been before yet…

It was that time. That time they never made it to the restaurant, on their walk a black unmarked van pulled up beside them, two people leaped out. One knocked Ayame out, the other grabbed Kagome and threw her into the car. The next thing she knew a bag was over her head and she heard the tires peel away.

There was always someone watching her when she wasn't at Gami or with Inuyasha, she knew that, so she thought that they would find a way to stop the vehicle. But it kept going… which meant that at least someone would know she was gone. That she had been kidnapped.

Which meant Inuyasha would and he would save her. He always did. That was what she kept telling herself at least while they continued. Her heart sped, her breath quickened, and she wanted nothing more than to struggle free but she couldn't. Someone was holding her too tight - two someones it would seem since there were two pairs of hand on each of her arm.

It apparently didn't matter how loud she was because they let her scream continuous, "get away! Let me go! Help!"

But it didn't matter how much she screamed, how raw she made her throat, because she wasn't saved. She was delivered to where she was supposed to get to. The two that kidnapped her dragged her out of the van, still kicking and screaming and trying her most to get away from them… but they were stronger.

She was still flung into a chair, still held down, and it was only then that the black bag was pulled off her head to reveal the living room of an apartment that she would never forget. It was elegant, expensive, and yet creepy. It was Naraku's place.

It was her biological father's, rather sperm donor's place. She knew right away that getting kidnapped was his place. That it was _his_ doing but that didn't make her feel any better to have that verified.

The bedroom door opened up, the place he had gone to take a nap when she had first escaped the place, and he looked rather wicked. But ever so pleased. His crimson, creeping, gaze glanced over her a thousand times in a thousand different ways before meeting her hot hazels. The ones that sizzled with disgust and hatred.

"You won't be looking at me like that for long," he assured her, in an oddly assured yet soft voice. That unsettled her more than anything else. "Don't fuck up like your brothers," he ordered once his crimons crept up to the other two.

"Don't talk bad about the dead, Naraku, or else something very bad might happen to you," the oldest looking one, on her right, with a long braid of black hair, demanded.

"Keep her here for the night while I make arrangements, you weren't followed, were you?"

The girlish one that she recognized, Jakotsu, answered, "no, we were very careful on that. She had two guards following her but we eluded them an hour ago."

"You better be right," he retorted before he turned around and walked back into his bedroom.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It was a sickening feeling, to have someone loved, someone dearly precious to him, taken like that. He had assigned guards to follow her at all times when she wasn't with him… they were supposed to be the best. They were supposed to keep her _safe_. He'd beat the utter shit out of them once he got his hands on them.

Naraku had her. _Naraku_ had Kagome and he didn't know what he was doing to her. Was she in pain? Naraku wouldn't kill her. At least he didn't think so but he'd hurt her… he'd do unimaginable things to her.

The worst part was that Inuyasha didn't know what to do, where to go, how to find his _wife_. Kagome was his wife and that was supposed to protect her. Fat lot of good that did them. She was gone and that was his fault. He failed to protect her. She was his _wife_ and that was _his_ job.

To protect her.

"Inuyasha," his father said to gain his attention. He didn't bother to turn around, to look away from the site that Kagome had been taken from. He could hear plenty fine. "We'll find her."

"You don't know that," he whispered back. "We haven't been able to find Naraku yet… she's with him, we won't find her."

"Inuyasha," he could hear his father walk closer to him, feel him place his hand on his shoulder. "We've got a lead, the guards followed them a good distance, if we set up a grid search-"

"Yeah, sure," he snapped as he shrugged his hand off his shoulder and stepped away, "whatever. If you say so."

There was a warped wrath within him, a small vacuum that zapped away the goodness and left him with festering frustration and fear. Anger over what had happened to Kagome… how she was lost. Terror over what will happen to her.. what _was_. He'd do anything to find her, to help her, to save her but that didn't matter.

He was helpless to help the woman he loved. Just that morning she was in bed with him… just that morning she was the warmth against him. Her pillow probably still smelled of her. The night before they had made love. He had felt her everywhere and yet she was gone now… and he couldn't find her.

He couldn't save her. It was the worst possible feeling in the world. He hated it almost as much as he did himself for letting this happen.

When he got her back - _if_ he got her back - he'd never let her out of his sight again.

**.oooOoOooo.**

At some point in the night, apparently, much against her will she had fallen asleep because when she woke up she found herself not in the chair being held back by the brothers but on a table. A table that certainly didn't appear to be in the same apartment. The room was dark, the walls empty, and the ceiling old with a stain in the upper right corner.

She tried to move right away but couldn't. There was a cool breeze that made the hair on her skin stand on edge, that gave her Goosebumps all up her belly. All she could do was lift her head just enough off the table to see that her hands were strapped down just like her ankles. She was also missing her shirt. That set off more alarms than being tied down did. At least her bra was still on.

"Good morning, daughter of mine," caught her attention, it got her to look over to see him at the door where Naraku was, polishing off something very shinny in his hand. Something that made the pit of her stomach queasy. She swallowed as she watched him walk closer.

The way his eyes centered on her stomach worried her more than the fact that her shirt was gone. When she saw what was in his hand… a scalpel. "Wh-What are you going to do with that?" she whispered. "Wh… what are you doing?"

"I'm helping you, remember how I said you'd thank me for taking out the shikon?" he inquired, he could not help but ravish in the way her heart popped with fear just as her eyes did. "I take that as a yes. I did that so that your demon blood, the part of you that belonged to me, could be set free. And it is has."

He held up the shikon, the warped, black and purple thing that it had become so that she could see.

"It was also pure inside of you, pure in every shikon nymph I found. Now it's not. Now you'll thank me for putting it back in," he said with a smile.

"No, no, no, no!" She begged, pleaded, as she tried to struggle free.

"Stay still or else I might cut into the wrong thing," he said to her as he placed his hand on her lower left abdomen, right where he had stabbed her before. She didn't know what to do, even if she struggled he'd still cut into her _again_.

So she froze with fear… then screamed in pain as she felt the knife pierce through her skin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_ So thanks as usual for the reviews. I'm sorry for the late update but I was stuck. So here's the next chapter, albeit it short. I hope you still enjoyed it and hope you will continue to review._

_**Next Chapter**:_**_A Banana For A Chipmunk?_**


	26. A Banana For A Chipmunk?

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 26: A Banana For A Chipmunk?<em>**

Something was warped and wicked within her. That much was obvious, beyond obvious actually, when she woke up on the same table that she had passed out on from being cut into... From having her biological father stick his hand into her gut, to put the jewel back where he had found it. Unlike before, her hands were untied, her ankles free from restraints, so with ease she could get up and slid off the table.

Cautiously, her hand wandered over her stomach. It was once again smooth, it took her hazels wandering down to verify that the wound was gone. The power of the shikon was grand. A gift, really, she knew that. She could _feel_ that.

When she walked forward to the door she found that it was unlocked, with ease she could step out and see that she was no longer in the apartment that belonged to Naraku. Instead, it appeared she was in a warehouse of some sort. It only made sense that he had multiple strong holds.

"Good morning, well, evening," a deep, rather rough yet oddly soothing voice greeted. Cautiously she turned her attention to the man sitting at a table, examining some papers. He then pointed to the chair across from him where a shirt hung over it. "You'll probably want to put that back on."

That made sense to her, so she nodded and walked over to pick it up and slip it over her head. It wasn't like she enjoyed walking around in nothing but a bra, after all. Then she took the seat to sit in.

"Do you have any questions?" he inquired as he looked up to her. "Or have you finally come to see things my way?"

For a while, a long while, she remained silent. Her hazels looked on his crimsons. His blank face reflecting the same emotion as hers. That was a good question, one she had to think about. What _did_ she think about anything or everything for that matter?

The way her mind worked yesterday seemed to make no sense to her now. The way she used to feel about things was… well, ridiculous. The disgust she once held for the man that sat across from her was replaced with something akin to admiration, to gratefulness even. If not for him and his actions, she wouldn't be alive that day.

The sudden surge of power within her gave her clarity. That was what she thought, at least. Everything made more sense. The way Naraku thought seemed to be the best way _of_ thinking. There had been subtle hostility towards Gami festering in her ever since damn Izanami and Izanagi decided to stick their noses where they did not belong. Since they _forced_ her to marry a man she did not want to marry.

She hadn't wanted to wed Inuyasha. She didn't want him as her husband. Really, she didn't want that type of life but they _made_ her take it. The annoying fuckers.

The new idea of crushing Gami and giving power to those who were strongest in the world, demons, supernatural creatures of all time, was far more appealing than allowing ignorant, weak, mortals have control of the world. It didn't make sense to her that Gami made it like that.

"Kagome," Naraku started to gain her attention back again.

"I suppose," she slowly drew out, "I finally see things your way. The _right_ way."

"Good," he said with a gradually growing grin. "Then there are a few things we need to take care of before we can proceed with my master plan. I assume you will be as helpful as possible?"

"Sure," she replied with a shrug of her shoulder. "I am happy to help, _dad_."

"I'm very glad to finally hear you talk like this, for a while there I thought you were hopeless case. But I just couldn't give up. After all, you are my daughter," he responded before he took out a set of keys and placed it on the table. "Make yourself at home."

"Thanks," she softly chimed as she grabbed them before standing up. As soon as she turned around she almost ran smack dab into a man. A rather handsome one when she got a good look at him. An extremely handsome one, the more she looked. With a smirk fused smile she glanced the tall fellow up and down until they locked with his blue eyes under the purple cross on his forehead.

"Bankotsu, Kagome," Naraku introduced with a wave of his hand while his crimson gaze shifted back to the papers in front of him, "Kagome, Bankotsu. Bankotsu, watch out for her."

"I can do that," he assured with lopsided grin as his own gaze ate her up. "How about I take you back to the apartment?"

"I could use a shower," she answered, rather suggestively at that. He easily picked up on that, and grinned all the more as he showed her to his car. Once she was in it the light glistened off the diamond right on her left hand to catch her attention. For a moment she stared at.

But just for a moment, because after that she took it off and slid it into her pocket. It was something she didn't want to start out with. That annoyance, that bother, those subtle whispered of sadness over the marriage… all twirled into hatred when she finally became whole.

Because that was what she was now that she had the shikon in her. She was, after all, a shikon nymph and she _needed_ the shikon. Now that she was complete, full even, she could see things clearly.

"I want something from you," caught her attention, it got her to turn her hazels to the handsome man beside her.

"Name it," she could see herself giving him many things. All he had to do was ask and it would be his. She could think of plenty of things she wanted from him.

"Inuyasha, that bastard, killed my brothers," he grunted as his grip on the wheel tightened, "will you help me get revenge on him?"

That gave her pause for a second. Oddly enough, at least oddly to her, her first instinct was to tell him no. Hell no, actually. But then she thought about it. Inuyasha had been just as avid to make her do something she didn't want to. To make her marry _him_… now she was his forced wife. If he was gone, then she'd be a widow.

For some reason, the thought gave her a smile. A wicked, rather unsavory one probably, but a smile nonetheless. That had to mean something. And he was so annoying to live with sometimes. His temper was a bother. Everything about him seemed wrong for her now that she could think clearly over it.

He wasn't good enough for her. He was impure. Nothing more than a mere half-breed.

"You're a full blooded demon, aren't you?"

"Yeah," he responded, "so, will you help or not?"

"Help how?"

"I just need you to be the bait, I just need you to get him to come to me, and I'll take care of the rest. I'm the strongest one out of my brethren, he won't be able to beat me."

"I bet you are," she whispered back before her hand slid from her lap over to his. "Sure, I'll help but first let's see about that shower, shall we?"

To that, he just grinned all the more.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Two days had gone by without as much as a sign of Naraku, any of his known associates, or Kagome. It was driving him insane. Thousands of different of things could be happening to her in that moment but… he didn't know which was actually occurring. He didn't know if she was alright. If she was alive.

He could barely even focus on the meeting he was forced to attempt. All the VPs and council members were there to talk about what had happened. To decide what their next step was.

"Takamoru," forced him to focus, but it turned out that it wasn't him that Izanagi was speaking to. It was his father, so his golden gaze shifted over to him - stopping, briefly, on his brother and Kikyou who he thought were sitting awfully close together. "Where are we on that lead?"

"It didn't get us anywhere," Inutaisho grumbled, "we're trying."

"We're always saying that shit," Inuyasha asserted to gain everyone's attention. "We aren't getting anywhere… your gods and you can't find Naraku? Isn't that a bit pathetic?"

"Inuyasha," his father harshly snapped, "be quiet."

"Why?" he grumbled, "what are they going to do to me if they can't even get Naraku? You all seem incompetent to me."

"Oh, and you are better? What have _you_ done exactly," Izanami snapped.

"I'm not a god," he retorted, "you people are useless. Sitting around here talking isn't doing Kagome any fucking good."

Whatever anyone had to say in return to that he didn't hear, because he got up and left without another word. It was true, they were _gods_ and they couldn't accomplish a damn thing. Harshly he hit the elevator's down button and tapped his foot furiously as he waited for the annoyingly slow metal box to finally arrive. He didn't know what to do but he knew he couldn't sit around just waiting for something to happen.

Kagome was out there. She was in trouble. He had to at least _try_ to find her.

That was when a ringing caught his attention so he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. The number wasn't familiar to him but he answered anyone. In a gruff, grumble, he asked, "what?"

"Inuyasha?" shaky voice replied, a girl's voice, _his_ wife's voice. Instantly his heart leaped.

"Kagome?" he rejoined, "Kagome, where are you?"

"Inuyasha…" she repeated, again in that hurt tremble, it made his gut twist with concern. "Help me…"

"_Where_ are you? Tell me and I'll come get you!"

"Some… warehouse I don't know."

"Try to find something, anything, that'll tell me where you are," he ordered.

"I saw a street sign… I think it said Shinjo. I-"

"Hey, what are you doing?" Inuyasha could hear before the line went dead. Quickly he pressed the closest floor button so that the elevator could stop and he could run back up to the same floor he had just been on. There he grabbed a family heirloom, a sword that he was skilled in using, then he turned on his computer to do a quick search of warehouses near Shinjo street. He didn't care that he wasn't supposed to take his ring off, he did it anyway. He could get to the warehouse quicker if he ran than if he had to take his car.

"Inuyasha?" Stopped him before he could even run out of his office, his golden gaze shifted up to see Kikyou at his door. "What are you doing?"

"I don't have time to talk right now," he retorted before he ran passed her, down the stairs, and out the building.

Five minutes, that's all it took him. If he had driven it would have probably taken him a half hour with traffic. After that it wasn't hard to narrow down which warehouse, he could quickly pick up on Kagome's scent. Hastily, without much thought, he ran into the one closest to the docks.

As soon as he got in he stopped in his tracks. Right there, in front of him, leaning against a desk, was his wife. She looked perfectly fine - very hot, too, though that was beside the point at the time. All the same he let his golden gaze shift over her to make sure she was unharmed. She wore a pair of black boots, tight dark blue skinny jeans, a white corset top, and a black biker hood jacket. That wasn't her style of clothes…

She also wasn't restrained like he thought she'd be. She just had her legs crossed and was examining her nail as if nothing was wrong. As if she _hadn't_ been kidnapped over two days ago.

He didn't understand but he didn't have time to question it before his ear twitched to the sound of someone running up behind him. He looked just in time to jump and avoid a large sword being slammed towards him. Good thing he did, too, because it broke the wall it smashed into. If it had been his body he'd have been dead.

That finally got Kagome to look up at Bankotsu, who was prying his sword from the wall, then to Inuyasha as he landed near her.

"Oh, you're here," she greeted rather dully.

"Kagome…?" He replied, curiously, with a bent brow, "what's going on?"

"Bankotsu wants to kill you, you know, for killing his brothers and all," she answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "I advise you attempt to defend yourself."

"What?" It didn't make sense. It was like she didn't even give a damn… if not for the fact that he was certain from the smell that it actually _was_ Kagome then he would have been certain it was a shapeshifter. But a shapeshifter couldn't fake a scent, not that accurately at least.

Then his gaze dropped to her left hand, her ring was missing. Apparently she could tell that was what he was focusing on because she reached into her pocket and pulled it out to extend it out to him. "Take it back, if you'd like. I'm not going to wear it anymore."

"Kagome…?" he questioned as he held out his hand for her to drop it in. It didn't make sense.

"Oh, come on, Inuyasha," she rolled her eyes as she looked over to Bankotsu who finally freed his sword from the wall. "As if I want to stay married to you. You _know_ I didn't want to get married to start out with. It's so stupid. I refuse to continue with it. It's not like it did us any good."

"What are you saying?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she inquired with a glare. "I'm annoyed with you, sick of pretending like I actually like being married, I _hate_ living together. Aren't you bothered by me, too?"

He shook his head, because he couldn't form any words. What the _fuck_ was going on? Kagome… that wasn't his Kagome. Somehow, they changed her.

"Enough talking," Bankotsu ordered as he pointed his sword to Inuyasha, "I'm going to get my revenge on you. Your wife here was nice enough to call you up to get you to come even."

His eyes snapped back to Kagome at that, she gave him a weak smile and another shrug of her shoulder.

"Something about being a widow is appealing to me," she confessed.

"What's wrong with you?" he barked, "what'd they do to you!"

But she didn't answer him, and even if she did he wouldn't have heard it. He had to start to defend himself, he drew his sword to block another one of Bankotsu's attacks. Constant clashes of blade to blade began then, each dodging the others attack, both rolling out of the way just in time. Neither got more than a scrape here, a bruise there, as they fought throughout the warehouse.

It was a mistake, a misstep, that turned out to be Inuyasha's undoing. He leaped away from an attack and instead of landing on the ground properly like he had planned, a bar on the ground slipped from under his foot to get him to stumble. That was all it took for Bankotsu to get the upper hand, with huge force he slammed his sword against Inuyasha's to get the half-breed's to fall from his hand.

Then he raised his blade to his neck, a smirk upon his face as he pressed it harder against his skin. It was just enough to make it uncomfortable but not yet able to draw blood.

"Your wife is hot stuff," Bankotsu declared. "Very hot. I got to see _all_ of her yesterday… mm-mm. I'm going to have a lot of fun with her."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha growled.

"She has this cute little birth mark on her right ass cheek-"

"Shut the fuck up," he demanded. He wanted to be mad, to be _furious_, but hearing that… just crushed him. That was true about her. But how would Bankotsu know it?

"I banged your wife last night," Bankotsu stated, which was just as good as stabbing him in the heart. "Fucked her silly, _multiple _times. It was hot. She's a kinky little minx, ain't she?"

"You're a fucking liar!"

"Am I?" he replied as he glanced over his shoulder, "Kagome, babe! Come here!"

She did, just as she was requested, and walked up to wrap her arm around his neck. Bankotsu bent his head then. It seemed to be a appeal for something and Kagome knew exactly what. _Right_ in front of her husband she leaned in to press her lips to Bankotsu's.

He didn't know what to think about that, furry festered within mixed with hurt, but he did know that was a mistake on Bankotsu's part. He was distracted. He knocked the sword away and stabbed his clawed hands through his chest.

"Oh my gods!" Kagome cried out as she leaped away and covered her mouth as she watched Bankotsu's body fall to the ground. "Inuyasha! What the hell!"

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you! He was trying to kill me!"

"Damn it, I liked him," she grumbled back bitterly while she folded her arms.

"He was trying to kill me!" he shouted again.

"I realize that!"

"What the _fuck_ is with you!"

"Bankotsu!" a cry called out which got them both to turn their attention towards Jakotsu as he entered the warehouse. "Bankotsu! Bankotsu!"

"Uh-oh, they are really close," Kagome whispered as she wagged her finger at Inuyasha and began to take a couple of steps backwards. He didn't have much time to react before Jakotsu ran at him with his staff. He rolled out of the way to grab his sword and deflect the next attack.

Again he was forced to do the back-and-forth in the fight but Jakotsu was angry which meant he would make a mistake. Which he did, _he_ was the one that slipped up, that landed weirdly when he jumped away from Inuyasha's blade. He wouldn't take the chance for granted, he sliced his sword through Jakotsu's chest.

"Wow, two in one hour, impressive," he heard before Jakotsu's body even hit the ground.

"Fucking hell, Kagome," he snapped as he glanced over to glare at her, "what is wrong with you!"

"She's finally attacking as she should," Naraku replied as he walked up to his daughter to place an arm around her. "Like a _proper_ shikon nymph, like a proper daughter."

"You brain washed her or something?" Inuyasha guessed, "I swear if you hurt her at all I'll kill you."

"It's disappointing to see you already did that to Jakotsu and Bankotsu, the Shichinintai weren't as good as they were advertised. Not that it really matters, I have Kagome now," he stated with a smile as he looked to his child. "Don't I?"

She nodded with a smile back.

"You brainwashed her or something," Inuyasha guessed in a growl. There was no way that Kagome was doing all of this on her own accord. She was possessed, certainly out of her mind. It couldn't be _his_ Kagome… his Kagome wouldn't say those things. _His_ Kagome wouldn't have just made out with Bankotsu in front of him.

_His_ Kagome would have fucked him the night before.

"No, just showed her the light, awoke her real side. There was no need for brainwashing," Naraku insisted. "Did I brainwash you, Kagome?"

"Nope," she chimed back.

"You've been nothing but a bother for a very long time, Inuyasha. As long as it is appropriate for you," his crimson gaze shifted to Kagome, "then may I kill him?"

"Knock yourself out," she replied as she stepped away and waved towards him.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped again.

"You sure do bitch a lot," was all she had to say to that.

"This ought to be easy," Naraku declared with a grin before he let a multitude of sharp, silver, like legs sprout out to raise him high. Right then, more than ever before, he looked like a the disgusting spider he was. Quickly he swiped at Inuyasha with one of them which he was able to block with his sword but not the other that went towards him. He dodged, just slightly, to avoid a full on hit but he still got scrapped along his side to draw plenty of blood.

"Face it, Inuyasha, you are no match for me," Naraku chuckled, deeply, as he slashed three of his sharp silver blade like legs towards him. He couldn't have blocked them all, if not for the aid of someone else's blade he would have been stabbed in the gut. He could hear the clash of Naraku with another, so he turned his golden gaze to see another silver haired man there.

"Sesshomaru…?" Inuyasha inquired with a lifted brow. "What are you doing here?"

"Kikyou thought you were acting strange, she checked your computer and saw this address, she asked for me to come here with you," he answered as he glanced over to his brother. "Good thing I did or else you'd be dead now."

"Fuck you," he grumbled back. But it was true, he needed Sesshomaru help and was grateful to have it. He only had a short time to look over to see that Kikyou, too, was there. Her attention seemed to be fixated on Kagome, though.

That was all that he had the time to think about before he had to focus on the task at hand - _killing_ Naraku. Maybe if he did then Kagome would be freed from whatever weird spell she was under? Maybe he would get his wife back?

"Kagome," Kikyou greeted, which gained the girl's loose attention before her hazels returned to fight going on between her father and the two Takamoru brothers. "There seems to be something very different with you… your aura has changed."

"So?" Kagome rejoined with a bent brow as her gaze shifted over to the soul eating demon. "What do you want, Kikyou?"

"You have your shikon back," Kikyou realized as her chocolate orbs shifted over her stomach then up to meet her hazels. "I see, Naraku put it back tainted. Hence the aura and attitude change."

"I feel better than ever," she assured her, "so leave me the fuck alone already."

"I doubt that," Kikyou countered as she walked up to her. "You don't seem to care that Inuyasha is risking his life at the moment, that hardly seems appropriate seeing as you are his wife."

"I would rather _not_ be married to him," she asserted when she glared back at Kikyou, "leave me the fuck alone, or else."

A screech got Kagome to turn her attention back to her father, who had just been stabbed by Sesshomaru as Inuyasha sliced off one of his legs. She would have shouted or done something to try to help him but Kikyou grabbed her to turn her interest back. It was a painful amount of pressure she put on her stomach.

"Let go!" Kagome ordered.

"No," Kikyou rejoined and though Kagome began to struggle it didn't matter. In mere moments a blue energy zapped out of Kikyou to consume Kagome - causing her to scream in pain before collapsing on the ground. Just like her father did after being stabbed again by both Takamoru brothers.

The other difference was that Kagome was alive, and Naraku dead as a doornail.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he ran over to drop to his knees to her before swooping her body into his arms. "What'd you do, Kikyou!"

"Naraku put the shikon back in her, tainted, hence her strange behavior. I merely purified it, she should be back to normal once she wakes up," Kikyou explained, which seemed to be acceptable to Inuyasha since he just nodded his head and turned his gaze back to her. Once Sesshomaru reached her side she turned her stare to him and asked, "are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her.

"Let's leave these two alone," Kikyou suggested as she took his hand to lead him out of the warehouse.

If… Kagome had the shikon tainted in her then that was why she was acting strange. It wasn't her fault. None of it… right? And even if the shikon was in her then Bankotsu and her… they didn't. They couldn't. Kagome wouldn't… would she?

"Uh," she muttered as she started to come around. With a shake of her head she pried open her lids to see Inuyasha there. Her brows bent together lightly, in confusion, before she seemed to remember what was going on. Cautiously she sat up before she found her way to her feet and glanced over herself. "Why did I think that wearing this was a good idea?"

"That's hardly the most important question here, huh?" Inuyasha grunted back as he, too, stood up.

"Oh?"

"_Oh_," he dragged out with strain, he could feel a vessel popping in his forehead even. "How about all that shit you said no more than ten minutes ago to me?"

"Oh, gods, Inuyasha," Kagome groaned with a wave of her hand as she tried to turn away only to have him grab that hand and yank her back to him. "I'm tired, I don't want to have this conversation right now!"

"Well I do!" he snapped back, "and how about that shit with Bankotsu, huh? How about you _making out_ with him in front of me!"

"I obviously wasn't in my right frame of mind!" she shouted back as she ripped her hand free. "Now let it go, Inuyasha!"

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Inuyasha growled, "what about all that other shit he said, huh? How did he know about that mark on your ass, huh? Did you really fuck him?"

That stumped her briefly. She couldn't answer it right away… she had to think about it. Did she really have sex with Bankotsu? Slowly, the night before came back to her in small flashes at first then all at once.

_She was in a shower, washing herself clean, scrubbing her hair then leaning backwards to let the water rinse out her hair. The sound of the shower door opening up caught her attention. Slowly, a naked Bankotsu slid into the stall with her. Instead of being annoyed she grinned widely as she wagged her finger for her to come closer._

_Which he did, easily. His, big, rough, hands were placed on her hips and then she leaned backwards to place her back to his chest. His lips were pressed on her neck, she bit her bottom lip as her smile grew. The shower didn't last for much longer before they ended up out of it and on a bed. Entangled in a bed…_

"Kagome?" Inuyasha drew out, "did you have sex with that fucker or not?"

"I wasn't in my right state of mind the other night," was her answer. And since it wasn't a no then… it had to be a yes. The shock on her husband's face was apparent.

"What about all the other shit? Huh? About being annoyed with me? About being sick of the marriage? About wanting to be a _widow_?"

"Inuyasha," she whined but that didn't stop him.

"Sick of living with me, are you?" That was only the start of it, too, he kept recanting all that she had said, kept bitching about it all. He just kept _complaining_.

She was tired, with an aching body from the zap Kikyou gave her, annoyed with everything that had happened. All of that mixed together with the general need for this conversation to get over with got her to say something she very well might regret later. Why did he have to go on like that after everything she had been through? Why couldn't he just ask later?

But he didn't. He was furious, so he asked then, "did you mean all that shit or not?"

"Yes," she snapped, yes just to make it all stop and because maybe a little part of her meant every word of it.

Yes she meant it? Well then fuck, he meant what he'd say, too. "Banana," he barked, "we need to break up. I can't deal with _you_ anymore."

She just thought about it, for a moment, before she said, rather harshly, "chipmunk. I think we need time apart, too."

And that was it… that was what it took to get them to split finally. A series of aggravating accusations, hidden frustrations, and subtle resentment to the situation. She didn't really feel broken up about the situation at the time being, annoyed, angry, and tired… all she wanted was to go to sleep. To try and figure out all that had happened.

Neither of them were really upset with breaking up as they parted ways. Perhaps for the final time. After all, did a two-hundred and fifty year old half-breed really belong with a twenty-two year old shikon nymph? Probably not.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Here's a rather quick update. Yay for me. So, I'm pretty certain that I'm going to end this story within about four chapters. So it's coming to a close. _

_Thank you to those who reviewed. It will probably be a while before I update this story again (three days to a week). Now that I have finished Damned Deed I do plan to make this my next completed story. _

_Please continue to **review**. I appreciate them all, small or large.  
><em>

**Next Chapter: _Diagnosis Divorce_  
><strong>


	27. Diagnosis Divorce

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 27: Diagnosis Divorce<em>**

Purposefully, Inuyasha made himself scarce when Kagome began to pack up her things at what was - only for a very short period of time - their apartment. It only took two suitcases to gather all her things. Not even large ones, at that. She supposed from the start, somewhere within her, she knew it would fail since she didn't even bring everything over from the apartment she shared with Ayame and Kaede. Yeah, it was probably all her fault.

Weird, really, everyone - even herself - would have thought that it would have been Inuyasha that did something wrong. That it would be Inuyasha that led to the end of their marriage but that wasn't what happened. It was her doing. From the start, really.

Unlike him, she didn't try that hard with the marriage. There was always a part of her that resented being forced into it. Always a part that ate away at her with annoyance over _being_ married.

She supposed it was a relief to finally be done with it. At least that's what she kept telling herself once she found her way back to the room that was still open for her at the Ayame and Kaede's. It didn't take her more than an hour to get unpacked and feel like home once more. Well, not home-home but close enough to it.

"Hey," Ayame began after she knocked on the door to open it up and look at her once again roommate. "Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?"

That's what everyone wanted to know since it had been announced that Inuyasha and her were severing their ties with one another. She hadn't told her family yet, though. She didn't know how to. Two months into her marriage and she was already done with it… that was why she didn't want to tell them to start out with. It would just be shameful now, a huge embarrassment, a big fat _I told you so_ that her mother could use against her for all of eternity.

"Inuyasha and I just went too far too quickly," Kagome replied with a small shrug of her shoulder.

"So that's it then? You two are done with? For real this time?" she questioned with a small tilt of her head as she leaned against the doorway to watch as Kagome began to rearrange her things.

"I think so," Kagome answered with a nod. "We both said a lot of things that needed to be said and…"

She did have sex with someone else. If she hadn't had the tainted shikon in her she would never have done it but.. it happened. She guessed, in a way, that was cheating, wasn't it? She had an affair. Inuyasha had every right to be mad.

Now they had reached an impossible point in their relationship. Inuyasha held grudges, he nearly never forgave, and she had done something that was admittedly very unforgivable to nearly anyone. She had cheated on him.

"And?" Ayame asked.

"I think that at the very least, right now, it's best if we are apart."

"But there's a chance you two are going to work things out?"

"No, I don't think so," she replied as she looked up to see Ayame's worried gaze. She knew that the problems that sparked their final separation arose because of Kagome getting kidnapped. Ayame was there when she was taken… she probably blamed herself.

"It's alright, Ayame, I think that this is for the best," she assured her, with the best attempt at a smile. It didn't work to convince her all the way but it worked well enough to get her to nod and leave her to finish her work.

Once she heard the door shut she slowly sat down on her bed and shut her eyes. It… was for the best, wasn't it?

Then why did it hurt so much?

**.oooOoOooo.**

There were problems in their relationship. Before they were engaged, before that pressure of impending marriage was put on them, they hadn't nearly as many. Things were good back then, really good, blissful at times even.

Kagome hadn't been happy since they wed… and that was only brought out more when she got tainted. It wasn't like everything she said to him that night came out of nowhere. Somewhere deep down in her she had meant everything she had said…

Maybe even everything she _did_. She had sex with another man. Yes, he was aware that she wasn't in her right state of mind, and yes that did mean something to him but that didn't make up for the fact that she had sex with Bankotsu. That she kissed him right in front of him.

It hurt, like hell, that she felt that way. That she was so… unhappy with everything. He didn't want to keep her around if she didn't want to be there. With the knowledge that she had _sex_ with someone else he didn't want her anymore either.

He didn't think he could look at her the same way. She didn't even say sorry, she didn't even try to make amends, she just… said she wasn't in her right state of mind, as if that would make up for the fact that she _fucked_ Bankotsu. Or that she helped lead him into a trap to get him killed. Because she liked the sound of being a "widow", that was a real bitch move. Tainted or not.

Time ticked away. If she cared, if she wanted to make amends, then she didn't do a good job at showing it because weeks had passed by since they parted ways. Since she moved out… and she didn't call, she didn't try to talk to him at all. For all he knew she could be fucking another man by now.

In the end it seemed like they just didn't belong together. He wasn't too surprised, he had sort of figured that they wouldn't really get a forever. Eventually, one of them would have ruined it. The thing that _did_ surprise him was that it was Kagome that did the sullying. He was usually the one to fuck up relationships but this time he could at least walk away knowing he hadn't done anything wrong.

Sometimes, at work, he'd catch a glimpse of her and it would be… weird. For the both of them, he expected, especially those times when they caught each other glancing at the other. That day he could see her from across the lobby talking with Kohaku. Inuyasha was hardly worried about a relationship appearing between those two so he didn't bother to let jealousy flare up. Maybe… even if it was another guy, a more threatening one, nothing would have appeared.

Maybe he just didn't care anymore.

That's what Kagome figured when she glanced around the lobby, mistakenly making eye contact with him. In his auburn eyes she saw… nothing. That meant that whatever was there between the two had diminished. But had it died down to nothing already?

Since the start she had felt numb towards the break up with a tinge of relief but in that moment she felt… very upset as she rode up the elevator to her cubicle. Everything was back to normal after all those weeks of being apart. Everyone began to treat her like they did before she became Takamoru Kagome because they all knew that she would soon revert back to Higurashi Kagome…

On her computer she had to log in as just that _Higurashi Kagome_. She had never changed her name… she knew it was probably another subtle sign that she never wanted the marriage to work out. Her hazel gaze shifted to the calendar then to see the date. It had been over a month since they stopped living together…

It had been five weeks since they talked. In hindsight, with all that time to think, she knew it was all her. That _she_ ruined their relationship. Inuyasha had been the mature one - which, really, only seemed fitting because he was older than her by over two hundred years. He also had been trying ten times harder than her. She had just… she didn't really know what it was.

She failed at long term relationships. Maybe she even purposefully failed, if it ended sooner than it would have hurt less than when it eventually ended. Because… it would have eventually ended, right? She was only twenty-two, why settle down with the first guy she got serious with?

That thought only got her to groan as she rested her head against her desk. She was being stupid… she needed to talk to Inuyasha. They needed to discuss everything to decide what they wanted to do. If it was officially over then that was that. There'd be papers to sign and stuff.

"Are you feeling like shit, too?" got her to raise her head to look over at the ever so pale Ayame.

"Ayame," Kagome drew out with narrowed eyes, "why are you here? You've been throwing up for the past forty-eight hours. If you get me sick then I'll kill you. You should have stayed home today."

"I've been at home for three days straight, it's annoying," Ayame muttered, "besides, I feel a bit better now."

"I wouldn't have thought a werewolf could get sick."

"We can still get the flu," she answered.

"I don't want the stomach flu," Kagome whined lightly as she turned her attention back to her work. She really hated to be sick, especially when it involved throwing up. But… she knew she was going to get sick, too, since she hadn't been feeling the best the past couple of days.

That was only proven when, at the very end of her work day, she found herself rushing to the bathroom to kneel in front of a toilet. For getting her sick, she was going to kill Ayame for that. She had to nip this in the bud, so she would have to go to the doctor tomorrow. There was medicine that she could get within the first twenty-four hours of having the flu.

But that would mean at least two days out of work… then again, maybe that's what she needed. Time to think. She hadn't taken a break from anything after she moved out of Inuyasha's. She had, actually, started to work more hours than ever before. She did anything to keep her mind off of all that had happened…

Because, if she stopped to think about it all she would have felt was guilty.

Inuyasha and her were done with and that was her fault. Her burden to carry, to remember, to lament over. After all the time apart, after the weeks of not talking she had realized that she did regret it.

She missed him, a lot.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"Well, the test came back negative," her doctor declared as he re-entered the exam room. "It doesn't appear that you have the stomach flu. You say you aren't throwing up all day, right? Just sometimes? And just some things make you nauseas?"

"I guess," she replied with a lifted brow, "if I don't have the stomach flu then what do I have? Some virus? Or could it be food poisoning?"

"Those are all possibilities, but I believe that you would be feeling significantly worse if it was either of those. Which leads me to this question, is there a possibility that you may be pregnant?"

Her jaw dropped at that. What she wanted to say right away was _no_ way in hell. She got the far more accurate birth control shot that prevented pregnancy better than the pill but… then it dawned on her. She missed her shot when she was taken by Naraku and she hadn't bothered to get another afterwards because her and Inuyasha had split. If she wasn't with him then she wasn't having sex…

Oh, shit.

"Mrs. Takamoru?" he questioned.

It took a moment for her to realize that meant _her_. She had never gotten used to being called that and she only wrote that down on the form because that was what was on her insurance card. They got them reissued every year and it just so happened that she had just gotten married to Inuyasha… hence the name change.

She couldn't help but think what a bother it would be to go from _just_ legally changing her name to Takamoru Kagome to change it back to _Higurashi_ Kagome. She sighed at the thought before her hazels locked with her doctor's gaze. That was right. He asked her a question.

"Um… yes, I suppose, there is a possibility but I don't think that's what it is."

"Let's try it anyway," he requested. "Better safe than sorry."

"I guess," Kagome replied, softly. Most likely, the test would come back negative just like the other test. It was probably just some stomach bug. Because… she couldn't be pregnant.

Yes, she wanted children but she didn't want them yet. Not when she was just twenty-two. She wanted them when she was married and had a more stable career. Granted, she _was_ married and did have a career but she just started at Gami and her marriage… well, her marriage was hardly rock solid. Bringing a baby into such a situation would not make it better, it'd probably just make it worse.

When he came back with a positive test result she refused to believe it. When he came back with a second… she supposed she didn't have a choice. Still she bought a pregnancy test on the way home and used it to get second opinion. The same opinion…

At home, she just curled up in a ball on her bed to try and figure out what to do. Ignoring it seemed like the best idea. But… really, you couldn't ignore being pregnant. She knew she had to talk to Inuyasha about all that was going on but to add on top of that being _pregnant_?

She groaned as she clutched her pillow and shut her eyes. What was worse was the fact that… when the doctor told her the general date of conception it fell into a terrible place. Just over five weeks ago when she just so happened to have a tainted shikon in her and a terrible lapse of judgment.

"Fuck," Kagome muttered to herself as she shut her eyes tightly. Either she was going to have a half-demon baby or something more diluted. If… there was going to be a baby. There was always the possibility of _not_ having one. Her doctor even said so, even told her exactly what to do if that was what she wanted. After all, her reaction was hardly happy to hearing she was a mother to be.

She really had no idea what to do… her life officially sucked.

**.oooOoOooo.**

It took an hour of debating whether or not she would go to work the next day. Technically, she wasn't sick and after throwing up some that morning she felt fine. But she did have some sick days and it might have helped to stay in all day and think. Then again that might have driven her crazy, too, so she didn't do that.

She went to work... and found herself staring at her computer screen or paper more often than actually doing any work. How could she not? All she did was…think about _it_. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby - maybe - and… she was one of those girls. The type that didn't even know who the baby daddy was.

That thought got her to look up and over to Sango's closed office door. She was gone on maternity leave, she'd have her second child soon and was almost as excited as her boyfriend- now fiancé, Miroku. At first, Sango didn't know whether it was Sesshomaru's or Miroku's.

She'd understand… so Kagome decided to put in just a half day and go visit her friend. Get her advice… then again, if she told someone then she would probably defiantly have the baby. If she didn't… then she wouldn't. But then again, she didn't know if she could do that. If she could give up her child.

If Inuyasha was the father she couldn't help but ponder, constantly, what his reaction would be. He had mentioned, multiple times, that he had no interest in having children. That he _didn't_ want them at all.

Gods, she hadn't told her mother yet that her and Inuyasha split and now she was pregnant with either the man she had an affair with or Inuyasha's baby? It was so not fair. It was the last curse that Naraku passed on to her. That was when it became clear she wouldn't get anything done so she got up to grab her coat and bag before heading out for the day.

Yet, the moment she turned she saw someone standing there.

"Takamoru Kagome?" the man asked.

"Um," she paused, "yes, that's me. How can I help you?"

"You've been served," he replied as he handed her a folder. Cautiously she took it with a lifted brow before he turned and walked off. She opened it to let the papers slid out and instantly she tensed up.

Divorce papers. Inuyasha had filed for divorce and had her served at _work_? At _work_ where plenty of people could witness it? Oh, that made her blood boil as she stomped off to the elevators, tapped her foot furiously as she waited for one to come, then march right up to his office.

Myoga tried to intercept her by getting up from behind his desk and stepping between her and the door. "Mr. Takamoru is in the middle of a business call. I can tell him you stopped by and contact you when he has time to-"

"I'll bash your head in if you don't step aside, Myoga," Kagome snapped.

That seemed to be a good enough threat because he let her push her aside to go inside the office, slam the door after her, and then walked up to Inuyasha who was looking at her oddly with a raised brow. He was, in fact, in the middle of a phone conversation and from the sound of it Myoga was telling the truth, it was Gami business related. He raised a finger to signal to her that he'd be a minute but she wasn't going all him that.

She snatched the phone from his hand and slammed it against the receiver.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha countered. "That was important!"

"Like serving me at work?" she shouted back as she slammed the papers on his desk, "at _work_, Inuyasha?"

"Hey, I can't help when they give you those," he asserted after he stood up.

"So that's it? You want a divorce just like that?" she inquired with a deep edge of annoyance to each and every word.

"What?" he grunted, "we haven't spoken in weeks. What other conclusion did you think there would be, Kagome?"

She didn't know… she supposed she knew that this would have come. Suddenly, an onset of nausea that led to her running to his private bathroom and throwing up once more. She knew eating lunch that day was pointless. When she was done she washed out her mouth with water then whipped her lips clean.

"Are you alright?" Inuyasha inquired when she came out.

"Ayame gave me some stupid stomach bug," she complained, falsely, as she marched over to his desk, grabbed the papers, and then a pen to furiously sign each of them before picking them up and throwing them at him. "There, Inuyasha. Happy?"

He meant to say something before she stomped her way out of his office but he didn't know what. Slowly, his stare shifted down to the papers that were on a disarray upon his desk. Was he happy? No. Not even remotely. He had filed for divorce out of anger a while ago, maybe even a tinge to just try and get her attention, but he hadn't thought… that she'd sign them so easily.

"No, Kagome, I'm not happy," he muttered to himself as he picked up the papers to look over. But he guessed that was that… and with time he'd get over it. He'd move on. He'd just find someone else to be happy with.

That was possible, wasn't it?

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Thanks for all the reviews. I was able to get some extra time and able to update.  
><em>

_Please continue to **review**. I appreciate them all, small or large.  
><em>

**Next Chapter: _Ass of an Assumption _  
><strong>


	28. Ass of an Assumption

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 28: Ass of an Assumption<em>**

The papers were all signed, all ready to be officially filed away, and it wouldn't take any time to finally send them off. He didn't even have to do it, he could get Myoga to go hand them in personally. That was the truth… and he had half a mind to just send the papers off that day. Kagome _had_ signed them.

She wouldn't have done that if she didn't want the same result, right? If she didn't want a divorce… she'd go back to being Higurashi Kagome. They wouldn't be together. They wouldn't be anything anymore other than exes. He'd be her ex-husband. She'd be his ex-wife. They had never wanted to actually get married.

The whole purpose of it was to keep her connected to the Gami, to keep her safe from Naraku's lackeys, and now that wasn't necessary. Naraku was dead. Kagome would stay with Gami whether they were married or not.

He didn't bother to look up when he heard the door open. Her scent said who it was, he just distantly listened to the clicking of her heels to the ground as she walked up to him. When she was right there, right beside him, he finally looked up from the papers to see Kikyou.

"What? Shouldn't you be gone by now?" It was late, after all, he had thought he would be the only one left in the building. He even let Myoga go home hours ago. "Shouldn't you be on a _date_ with Sesshomaru?"

"Does that bother you?" she countered with a lifted brow, "that he and I have become something more than mere colleagues?"

"I don't give a shit," he countered quietly as he looked back down to the papers again. Really, he didn't care much. On the one hand it was annoying that his older brother was now with his ex-girlfriend but… it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. He had his own issues to think about, ones that were much higher ranked than what Kikyou and Sesshomaru were up to.

"So you and Kagome decided to end it, then? You talked about it and divorce seemed like the most logical next step?"

"I filed for divorce, she signed the papers," he answered. They hadn't talked about it. Kagome had just yelled at him, thrown up, signed them then left. It was a little concerning to him that she was sick, but that's what happened sometimes. People got sick, she'd get over it. It was doubtful that it was life threatening or anything like that.

"So you didn't talk about it," Kikyou concluded, which only got a nod in reply. To that, she shook her head before she snatched the papers from him. Though he wanted to, he didn't get the chance to ask her _what the hell_ before she tore them into pieces.

"Hey!" he shouted as he stood up but it was too late, what she handed back to him was a bunch of pieces. "Damn it, Kikyou!"

"You two are being childish, you are married, you should _discuss_ your problems instead of just getting a divorce."

"We only got married because we were told to," he retorted, "not that we wanted to."

And that was the problem, the huge one, the root of what was happening then. Kagome… had never wanted it, had resented it, had been utterly miserable since they were forced into marriage. He didn't like it either at first but… after time passed, he found he did enjoy being able to call Kagome his wife. He liked the ring of Takamoru Kagome. More than anything, really, he loved Kagome and loved living with her.

Now… his apartment seemed so empty, so void of anything of real interest, and every morning when he woke the bed seemed ever so cold. Waking up with her there, usually cuddling close to him for warmth, was always refreshing, always great. He felt - as stupid as it sounded, and he would never admit it - loved. Regardless of what was going on, regardless of whether she disliked the marriage, regardless of all their problems in that moment he knew things would be alright. That she did, indeed, love him.

But now… he woke up to nothing but another set of pillows and an untouched side of the bed.

"But don't you love her? Don't you at least want to try and make it work?"

"She obviously doesn't," and that's what hurt most. That she didn't want to try, that she didn't even contact him until she received the divorce papers, that she… had given up so easily. "So why should I?"

Kikyou rolled her eyes at that before taking the pieces left of the divorce paper and throwing it away. "Now you'll have to get new papers and get her to sign them again. You should _talk_ before signing them this time."

"You're a nosey bitch," he growled, "you deserve a cold bastard like Sesshomaru."

"You're hurt, you're lashing out, it's understandable," Kikyou replied with a small wave of her hand before she started to walk away. "Have a good night."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Kikyou had no business in giving him advice on his relationship with Kagome but… since she did rip up the papers he had no choice. He had to get more and get Kagome to sign them again. But… before actually requesting another set of documents he just wanted to talk to her. She wasn't at work the next day, apparently she called in sick, which he wasn't surprised to hear. She had said she had a stomach bug.

Going to visit her at her apartment - the one _he_ had paid for - while she was sick probably wasn't the best idea. Then again, he had paid for the place so he felt he had a right to go there whenever he wanted. Thus he went there, he could get into the building since the doorman knew him, he could get all the way up to her apartment's door without having to notify Kagome.

Once he got there he knocked on the door. It was stupid, he had seen Kagome a thousand times there, but he had never been so… so nervous. For fuck's sake, they were _married, _it shouldn't have been nerve racking to raise his hand and tap on the door.

When the door opened up, Kagome seemed to be surprised to see him there. For a long while she just stood there staring at him with her lips slightly ajar. Until, finally, she said, "hi?"

"We need to talk," he replied.

"Talk about what?" she inquired innocently. About the fact that just the day before she had signed divorce papers that effectively put an end to their façade of a marriage? She… she was mad, stressed, and not feeling well. She was not _thinking_ straight. That was what had gotten them into trouble in the first place.

What made her say _yes_ when he asked her if she really meant all the things she said while under the influence. No, in reality, she didn't mean it seriously. She meant some of it… but not all. Just like she didn't really want to sign the papers, not before talking, but she just… got so mad and did it anyway.

"I know," Kagome countered before Inuyasha could really reply to her initial question. "I know we need to talk.. sometimes I can be stupid and immature. I'm really not as perfect as some people seem to think."

"I know that," he asserted easily. "You're _far_ from perfect, Kagome."

"Jee, thanks," she muttered back as she stepped aside to let him in. "Do you want some tea? I was making some."

"We haven't been together for something like six weeks now and you have already forgotten that I don't like tea?" Inuyasha complained as he sat down on the couch and gave a quick once over. Kaede and Ayame were both not there, probably at work.

"I don't understand that," she softly countered, "there are so many different types. I'm sure you'd like milk tea if you only tried it-"

"I'm not here to talk about tea, Kagome."

"I know that," she whispered to herself as she went to the kitchen to get herself a cup anyway. It helped sooth her stomach. When she came back out she sat down across from him in the armchair. "So… those papers…"

"They," he started slowly, "got misplaced. I need to get new ones, we'll need to sign them again."

"How did they get misplaced?"

Was it foolish of her to hope that he had misplaced them on purpose? So that they _wouldn't_ actually get a divorce? That'd be a sign that he still cared, that there was a chance to save what they had.

"They just did," he retorted, telling her that Kikyou had come to his office last night and ripped them up was beside the point and probably wouldn't help the situation.

"To be honest, I'm glad," she replied with a small smile, "I didn't actually mean to sign those… I was just mad that they came while I was at work. I was already having a bad day and I guess I took that out on you. Sorry…"

He nodded at that. In all actuality, that was a relief to hear. That she didn't _want _to sign them because he didn't want her to, ether. In reality, what he wanted was simple. Her. If there was a way, he wanted to keep her as his, not let her go, fix things between them. Getting a divorce and not talking for another six weeks probably wouldn't be helpful to that goal.

"I didn't mean to say yes that day," she stated swiftly to get his gaze to rise up from the coffee table to meet her hazel eyes. "You know… that day at the warehouse. I didn't. I was just tired and frustrated and… saying yes was easier."

"Oh," he muttered back. Gods, that felt good to hear, too. It sparked a bit of an annoyance within him, though. Why couldn't she have to come to him sooner and told him that? "Then… why has almost two months gone by since then?"

"I don't know…"

That was hardly helpful. "Kagome, do you or don't you want a divorce?"

"I," she began, unsure of what to really say. But, without a thought, she still said, "I don't think so. No."

"You want to… try and make it work then?"

"I want to try at least," she said with a nod, "do you?"

His glance looked away from her to the window before he finally confessed, "I miss you."

"I still love you," she answered. She really did, after everything, after all that she had done to ruin the relationship, she still loved him. They had been through so much together. She had never felt so strongly about anyone as she did him. She doubted she ever would ago… she was just scared. Scared to be hurt, scared of it all falling apart if she ever became truly serious about it, but… that didn't mean she didn't love him.

"I," he started as he turned his gaze back to her, "I still love you, too. You just… you pissed me off so badly."

"I know, I did a lot of things that were wrong then," Kagome confessed. "A lot… and I'm really sorry about all of them… especially…" The Bankotsu part of it. He seemed to understand that was what she was hinting at.

"You weren't you," he answered, "you wouldn't have done that… if you were you."

She wouldn't have cheated on him if she wasn't under the tainted influence. That was what he meant, she knew, and it was true. "I wouldn't, ever, Inuyasha."

"I know." Not once in their relationship had he worried about her doing that, not after they became officially together at least. Before, when they were just fucking around, she did sleep with his brother but that was an accident. An accident he had let go of a long time ago. He could get past the Bankotsu's thing just like that.

After all, she _obviously_ wasn't her. She had _liked_ Naraku, let him call her his _daughter_, she had even called him her father. His Kagome, the real Kagome, the one sitting across from him, the one he loved, wouldn't have ever allowed that. That night, all the time she was tainted, she wasn't her. Not even close to her.

"So," she slowly stretched out, "what do we do now?"

"Well," he replied cautiously. "I don't much like living at home without you anymore."

She was, after all, the one who kept that place clean, the one that cooked, the one that… he liked to wake up next to. Yet, if that was an offer for her to move back in with him she wasn't sure whether she could accept it. She was pregnant and it was either his or Bankotsu's so… she really couldn't.

And, she really couldn't figure out how to tell him that. It would probably be the actual end of them. If she was pregnant with Bankotsu's baby then it wasn't going to definitely be the end of them. If she was… with his child, well she didn't know what he'd do. He didn't _want_ children. He made a point of always saying that.

That he would never change his mind and she didn't want to force him to be a father. That never ended well. She wasn't even positive she was keeping the child. And she sure as hell didn't want them to just stay together because she was pregnant. That wouldn't solve a damn thing, if anything, it would make things worse.

She could just… eliminate the problem and never tell him. Then maybe everything could go back to normal between the two - or, the closest thing to normal they ever had.

"Kagome?"

That snapped her back to the present as she looked from her warm cup of tea to him. She didn't know what to say. She didn't… so she didn't say anything about it.

"I think that I should stay here. I think that'll be best… we were moving too quickly, that was our problem."

"We're married," he countered, "you want to not get a divorce but not live together, too?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying… I'm just saying, let's leave it like this until we work things out."

"Alright then," he responded with a nod. It made sense, he supposed. "How do we fix things? What do we do? Go to marriage counseling?"

"Do you think that'll help us?" she asked with a bit of a smile, "_counseling_?"

"I think that we just need to… talk," not spend weeks without saying a word to each other. "What do we do now?"

She shrugged her shoulder then, she honestly didn't know.

"Are… you feeling any better?" He asked as she looked over her. "I don't think you have ever taken a sick day at Gami."

"I've never been sick before," but, in all honesty, she just wanted a day to think about all her options. About everything that had been going on. She wasn't sick.. she was pregnant.

"That doesn't answer my question, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am, it's like a twenty-four hour bug, that's all."

"Then how about you come to mind for dinner tomorrow, we'll talk more then, alright?" he inquired as he stood up.

"You're so bossy," she teased with a small smile. "But alright, I think that sounds like a good idea."

"I'll see you tomorrow night," he declared then before leaving. Which… gave her one day to figure out what to do. Either nip the problem before anyone had to know or… figure out a way to tell him.

That night she just knew she wasn't going to get any sleep at all.

**.oooOoOooo.**

Dinner was awkward, as if it was their first date or something, yet at the same time it was nice. They were talking again. They were _together_ again and that was what it took to make her realize that that was what she wanted. To spend more time with him, to spend forever with him.

But the entire dinner not one important topic arose. Nothing about that night at the warehouse, nothing about the tainted shikon and nothing about… their issues. Until the end, until he brought it up.

"We need to talk about it," he finally said, his golden gaze had shifted from her hazels down to her hand which fit perfectly into his. The entire dinner their hands had been intertwined, his thumb caressed her soft skin, her fingers locked with his. He missed her. He missed feeling her. But they couldn't just ignore somethings. "You had sex… with Bankotsu. Didn't you?"

"I wasn't in my right state of mind. I was tainted by the shikon," she countered, but just like before, that wasn't a no. And a no meant yes. From the way he continued to stare at her, that was what he wanted. To hear her say it. To hear her say, "yes… I did. But I regret that, Inuyasha, I really, _really_ do."

For a while he continued to stare at her until he finally nodded and looked away. "Right… okay."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wish more than anything that didn't happen. Honestly, you have _no_ idea how much I wish it never happened. I really… really wish it didn't happen."

"Kagome," he murmured as returned his gaze to her, "I… I realize that. It's alright. I know you wouldn't have done it if you weren't… tainted. I can let that go."

That surprised her, really, she thought that he would hold that against her for much longer. Maybe even be always resentful towards it. But he was willing to let that go? It should have made her happy or extremely grateful but she… just felt guilty. Extremely guilty and she probably wasn't good at hiding that.

"What?" Inuyasha inquired. "I thought you'd e happy to hear that."

"I… am," she assured him. "But I need to tell you something. It's really important… and it's going to be hard to hear."

"It's about Bankotsu?" he guessed, but she didn't say anything, which he figured was another yes.

Until she finally started to say something, "Inuyasha… I… I am... pregnant."

Instantly his entire body became tense as he sat up straight in his seat, retracted his hand from hers, and looked straight at her, shock easily spewed across his face, and even a bit of disgust. It wasn't surprising that he reacted like that. He didn't want children, he never did. Inuyasha… wouldn't have taken kindly to the news. She always knew that.

But she knew she couldn't give up the child, either, regardless of whether it was his or not. It was still hers. Her child. She didn't know how well she could raise a child by herself… and she knew she didn't want to do it unwed or anything like that but it was probably going to be the end result. Especially if it was Bankotsu's.

From a one night stand when she was tainted by a shikon… she was going to be a mother. Well, it might be from that. She'd like to think she turned out well, all things considered. She was the result of something worse than a one night stand - her mother was _raped_. Yet kept her and loved her the same.

And, because she didn't say that it _wasn't_ from that night, because she didn't say it_ wasn't_ related to Bankotsu at the start, because… of all of that he made an ass of an assumption, he assumed that it _had_ to be Bankotsu's. That that was what she was telling him. Not that he might be a father but… that Bankotsu was.

He sure as hell had no idea how to deal with that. The knowledge that his wife, the woman he very well loved, was going to have another man's child. A man, rather _demon_, that he had killed with his own hands. That was fucked up. Seriously fucked up.

How the fuck was he supposed to react to that? _Feel_ about that?

"I need you to leave," Inuyasha stated, as calmly as he could.

"Inuyasha-"

"I need you to leave," he snapped as he stood up and turned away from her to, "I need to think about this and… I need you not to be here while I do that."

"Alright," she whispered, she supposed she owed him that much. It was only natural that he needed to think about the situation. It would probably help him if he was alone while thinking so she got up and did just what he asked.

She left and right then he wasn't so sure that he ever wanted her to come back.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: _Wow, thank you for all the review for the last chapter. As a thank you gift, here is a new update._

_**Next Chapter: No Thank You**  
><em>


	29. No Thank You

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 29: No Thank You<em>**

Takamoru Kagome, his wife, was pregnant. Probably not with his child, probably with that of Bankotsu's. The man that he had killed with his own bare hands nonetheless. It wasn't her fault that this happened, she was tainted by the shikon, she wasn't herself. His Kagome, his usual partner, would not have had an affair. She hadn't been in her right frame of mind.

But… what the hell was he supposed to do? They weren't in a stable relationship and he didn't want children. Not once in his entire life had that seemed like something he would enjoy or even perform well at. Having a little rugrat running around wasn't appealing. And… raising another man's child when he didn't even want one of his own?

He wasn't so sure he could do that. Plus, adding a baby into the equation of a failing marriage? That wasn't a good idea. That sure as hell wasn't going to fix things in the least bit. If anything that was going to make their problems worse.

It was all driving him a little crazy. It wasn't fair that things couldn't work out right for them. That all this shit constantly went wrong… He _did_ love her and he _didn't_ want to lose her but…

"Fuck, Miroku, I don't know what to do," he complained while he ran his hand through her hair and leaned back in his chair. He had spent the past hour explaining everything to Miroku, regardless of the fact that he had known most of the story already. "I never really wanted to be a father… but…"

"You don't want to lose Kagome," Miroku guessed, accurately, as he sat down on the edge of Inuyasha's desk. "Did she flat out say that the child is Bankotsu's?"

"No but we were talking about him and what she did _with_ him when she told me," Inuyasha answered. "She said it'd be hard for me to hear, too. Doesn't that mean the…" it was weird for him to say, for a bit he didn't even want to, but he finally said, "baby isn't mine?"

"Or, she just so happened to tell you after that conversation and knew it would be hard for you to hear because you are always staunch on not wanting children. Which, mind you, I don't understand."

"I don't want any," he retorted.

"Mio is the light of my life, best thing I've ever done, and I'll feel the same way about my next child. It takes effort to raise a kid but it is rewarding, it's so worth it. There is no greater joy than being a parent-"

"Stop it," Inuyasha ordered, "you aren't selling me on that stuff, Miroku."

To that, he just rolled his violet eyes before he stood up and walked up to the window. "I don't know what you want me to say, then. You love Kagome but you don't want children but she's pregnant... so you are really at an impasse her, either you get past your dislike for children and stay with her or you end your relationship with her."

"But it's _Bankotsu's_," he grumbled, "how am I supposed to get pass that?"

"So you want to lose Kagome?" Miroku inquired as he looked over to him, "you know… the biggest mistake of my life was the way I treated Sango when she got pregnant with Mio. Her and I lost a lot of time, it took many years for me to retrieve what feelings she had before hand. If you leave Kagome now, you'll be lucky to ever get her back in the future if that is what you want. If you leave now then you might as well stay gone."

"Fucking hell," Inuyasha grumbled bitterly to himself. "I don't want to lose her."

"Fine, then fight for her," Miroku ordered. "I'm not saying a child is going to solve all your problems, obviously it won't. But if you love her, if you don't want to lose her, then you should be with her regardless of whether it is your child or not. I doubt this is what she wanted."

"I figured as much," he muttered before he groaned and dragged his hand across his face. If he knew Kagome, which he was pretty sure he did, this wasn't what she wanted in the least. She wanted children but she wouldn't have wanted it like this. She would have wanted to bring her children into a stable relationship, into a safe world, not when she was having issues with him.

"For Kagome," he started, cautiously, "to make sure I don't lose her, I'd do anything."

"You know, you only come to me because you want me to talk you into the conclusion you have already come to," Miroku asserted.

"Maybe," he murmured.

More often than not, that was the truth. He had already decided to do that, but he just needed the right push. Miroku to use his fancy words to convince him that was the right thing to do.

**.oooOoOooo.**

"Inuyasha," Ayame greeted, surprise spewed across her face, once she opened the door. Her emerald gaze glanced over him a couple of times before she spoke again, "what do you want?"

"To talk to Kagome," _obviously_, why else would he be at her apartment? Ayame irked him sometimes, well more than just sometimes but he knew she was Kagome's best friend so he tried his best to get over that fact. Reluctantly, the redhead stood aside so that he could enter before she went to Kagome's room to see if she wanted to talk to him. When she came out she just nodded her head, which Inuyasha assumed meant she did.

He had to take a deep breath before he went in to see her sitting on her bed. "Hey."

"Hey," she replied with a small tilt of her head, "what are you… doing here?"

"We've been having problems for a while now, since we got engaged," Inuyasha began as he walked over to sit down next to her. "We felt rushed and pushed into something that we didn't want yet… but that doesn't mean I stopped loving you. And I'm hoping that means that you didn't-"

"Never, Inuyasha," Kagome assured him, "I never stopped loving you."

He nodded first before he started up again, "then the whole shikon tainting thing… and that's really our main probably right now - well, it really _was_ our main problem. The things you said, the things you did, but… I'm mad about that anymore. I know it wasn't you. And I figured that it wouldn't have been hard for us to get past that. To be like we used to, before the engagement, before everything. When we had a good relationship. That was what I was hoping at least…"

"Alright," she said, merely to show she was listening. In reality, she had been thinking the same way. If she wasn't pregnant then she was sure they would have gotten back to the way things used to be. It might have taken time, but they would have gotten there eventually and hopefully stayed that way but… she was pregnant.

That was there main problem now. Neither of them wanted to look at it like that. It a child shouldn't be a _problem_.

"But now you're…" he stopped as his gaze wandered around the room before landing on her. "You're pregnant …"

"Yeah, I am," she muttered as she withheld a sigh and looked down to the ground as she clasped her hands together. This was what she had been waiting for. For him to come around and finally tell her what she already knew. He didn't want children. He didn't want to be with her anymore.

"I don't really know what to do here," he explained as he reached over to take her hands into his. "But I know that I do love you, Kagome. For you, I'd do anything, even this. I'd be a father, regardless of who's kid it is. I don't care. I just want to be with. I want _you_."

"Inuyasha," she stammered, she could feel her eyes get hot and sting before tears started to trickle down her face. That wasn't the reaction he had expected, having her start to bawl in front of him _wasn't_ what he wanted. He _hated_ to see her cry, he hated to see any woman cry.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, "what? I thought that'd make you happy."

"I am," she assured him in between sobs, "I'm really happy to hear that."

"Come here," he requested as he wrapped his arms around her to let her lean on him.

"Inuyasha… there's a chance that… the baby _is_ yours." That was what she was hoping for, praying for, she wanted her baby to be his. The man she loved. The man she'd probably always love. Not some stranger's, not some man she didn't care about.

"That's good," he would deal far better with the situation if that were the case. "We'll just go and find out with a paternity test later, alright?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome began as she pulled away to look at him, "I am really grateful for what you said… and I'm really glad to hear you love me but.. I don't know how of an idea all this is. I mean, if it is not yours then… No, thank you for saying it, but I wouldn't expect you to stay."

"I already said I would," he countered.

"It'll be too hard for you. We had problems already don't you think that if you did that then we'd only have more. Having a baby… isn't going to make everything better. It's going to magically-"

"Kagome, I'm not stupid," he snapped.

"You don't want a child, so… I don't want to make you be a father if that's not what you want. I don't want this baby to be just baggage or something like that. You'd have to want it as much as you want me."

"I couldn't want anything as much as I want you," he stated simply. "But… I know if I walk away now I'll regret it. I'll regret leaving you, if it's not my kid. If It _is_ mine and I walk away then I'll regret it even more. If it's mine I have a responsibility that I want to fulfill."

"I don't want the baby to just be a responsibility… you wouldn't be happy then," Kagome countered, softly.

"You want me to magically change my mind right now? Look, I don't like kids much, it's just a fact. But I'm sure that it'll be different if it's _my_ child. I'd want to be a part of its life, I'd want to protect it, I'd want to be there for it… I wouldn't want to be like my father," he supposed that was always his worry when it came to having children. That he would fuck it up royally like his dad had. His dad left him before he was born, left his mother pregnant and alone. He couldn't, wouldn't, do that.

He still held a grudge against his father for that, he didn't want his child to feel the same way towards him.

"What if the child _isn't_ yours?"

"Then it's yours," he countered, "and I'd feel the same way. Let's just not worry about the rest of that stuff until after the paternity test, alright?"

"Okay," she whispered back as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I want to stay married, obviously, if it is yours."

"I want to stay married whether or not it is mine," he argued which seemed to surprise her.

"I never told my mom that we separated… I haven't told anyone that I'm pregnant either."

"Then let's just get all the facts before we start telling people anything," Inuyasha requested as he stroked her back. "Everything is going to be alright, Kagome."

"I hope so," she whispered back as she shut her eyes.

It was the first time in a long while, she could sleep soundly in his arms.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**_: _Thank you for all the reviews. The next chapter will be the last one so I hope you've enjoyed the story and continue to review._

**Next **(and last) **Chapter: Never Worked Out**


	30. Never Worked Out

**_Toyfriend  
>Chapter 30: Never Worked Out <em>**

Things never worked out like they had planned. They hadn't thought that they'd get married so quickly. At first, they never even thought that they'd be more than mere toyfriends… then they were. And they sure as hell did not think that after only three years of knowing each other they would be parents but… that was what happened.

And they were both happy with the outcome regardless if that wasn't how they had planned things or not. It took almost a week to get the paternity test back to discover that what she had been praying and hoping for - Inuyasha was the father.

When she went to his office to tell him what the doctor had called to tell her she had expected a different reaction than the one she received.

"Told you so," he declared nonchalantly.

"You did not!" she snapped while she folded her arms to stare him down.

"Yeah I did," he countered, "that thing with Bankotsu happened once. We'd been having sex for ages, multiple times, obviously it's more likely that I knocked you up."

"Don't say it like that," Kagome complained with a frown. She did ever so hate that phrased, 'knocked up' made it sound like an accident, like a mistake, and while it might not have been planned she didn't want to think of their child as a mistake. And, really, she didn't want Inuyasha thinking like that other.

So she changed the subject by saying, "At least that's one less thing for us to worry about, huh?"

"It's always great to at least get one thing knocked off of a long list," he replied which only earned him another dull stare. "I'm kidding, Kagome."

"Not funny," she muttered as she walked around his desk, he parted his arms for her to be able to sit down in his lap then lean her head against his shoulder as she shut her eyes. The list wasn't that long anymore, at least she didn't think so. They had talked about things, forgiven each other for their grievances and problems. There was no point in focusing in the past when they had such an important thing in the future to look forward to.

Which meant they had to figure some things out first, "So, what do we do now?"

"Obviously, you move back home," he asserted which got her to sit up straight to look at him weirdly. Wasn't that the logical thing to do? Have his wife, his wife pregnant with his child, move back in with him? Why did that seem to spark a strange look in return? "What? I think that's _obviously_ the next logical step."

"But… I was thinking that I would move in with you, not back in with my mother," she answered with a bit of a pout as she raised her hand to cup his cheek. "Though, as nice of a place your apartment is… it's also just a one bedroom."

"You are stupid," he stated, as kindly as he could, yet again he got another cruel stare from her. "When I said home, I meant with _me_. Not with your parents. I'm your husband, I'm your baby's father, so home is with me. Not with your mom."

"Oh," she hummed before resting her head against his shoulder once more. That sounded perfect and ever so right. Obviously home was with him now, how could she have thought otherwise? She really liked the thought of that, too. "No need to be mean about it, Inuyasha… but, seriously, about your apartment, it's not big enough for three. We will need to find another place… would you be alright with moving? "

"I like my apartment," he muttered rather bitterly. Now things weren't about him and his likes, he had to think about his unborn child and what it would need. The most basic of those needs was a place to stay and Kagome was right in that regards, they would need at least one other room to house their child. "But you're right. We'll need a bigger place. We'll get a house, maybe in the suburbs instead of in the city. You want to raise your children away from the city, right?"

"You remember that?" she inquired with a smile, she had only said it that one time when they were away at Kikyou's wedding.

"I pay attention more than you might think."

"I would like that," she assured him as she wrapped her arms around his neck before leaning in to kiss him briefly. "A house sounds nice… would you be alright with not living in the city anymore? With commuting to work?"

"Yeah, sure," he responded with a small shrug of his shoulders. "I've been living in central Tokyo for ages now. I wouldn't mind move elsewhere… I could always keep my apartment, too, just in case I needed to stay overnight for work."

"I suppose you could do that," if that was what he wanted she was going to hardly stop him. It surprised her how well he was handling the situation. She had expected him to be less… mature, less understand, less supportive. She didn't know why, probably because he had always said he didn't want children, but that was what she had anticipated. She was very grateful that she was wrong.

And even more grateful, an immeasurable amount so, that her child would be Inuyasha's, too.

"So… how are we going to tell people?"

"Miroku already knows," Inuyasha confessed.

"That's fine, which probably means Sango knows. We can go to dinner at my mother's and tell her then, not that I'm in a rush to do that," she mumbled the end mostly to herself.

"You think she's not going to handle finding out she's going to be a grandma well?"

"No, I think she'll be happy to find out she'll be a grandma," after all, most mothers dreamed of that happening someday. Her mom was no exception to that rule. "I think that she's going to be very surprised to hear it happened so soon… and then I can't very well tell her 'oh we meant to do this' when we didn't. Do you want to tell your dad together or-?"

"Oh, fuck," he grumbled as he leaned his head back, "I didn't even think about that… we are going to have to tell him, aren't we?"

"Well, obviously, it's not like we can hide that I'm pregnant from him for that long… do you think he'll be upset or something?"

"No," he muttered, the very opposite, he knew his father would be _very_ happy to hear he was finally going to be a grandfather. He had been bothering Inuyasha for ages to give him an heir so that their family blood could be carried on. He would hardly care whether it was on purpose or not, either, since he had admitted multiple times that both Sesshomaru and him were accidents. He hadn't intended on having either of them. Happy accidents, he assured them, but accidents all the same.

"Perhaps you should try to get over your issues with your dad," Kagome purposed with a taunting smile. She knew how he hated to hear that, how he detested it when people stuck their noses in his relationship with his father, so the glare he gave her was to be expected. It wasn't until he saw the way she was smiling that he realized she was joking.

"Not funny," he claimed. "How about we don't tell anyone for a while. It doesn't matter if we wait another week, right?"

She shook her head lightly, "no, it doesn't matter. It's our thing to tell people, we should do it whenever we both feel comfortable."

"Great," Inuyasha replied. They were already the main topic of Gami gossip because of their up and down relationship. At first they were just messing around, then something more, then off, then on, then married, then on the brink of divorce and now everyone was ever so curious as to what they did to change that. Why the two seemed to be perfectly fine again, once it was announced that Kagome was with child it would make sense to people but… Inuyasha didn't want everyone to think that was the only reason they were back together. He was certain even if she wasn't that they would have worked things out.

They did, after all, love each other regardless of everything they had been through.

"So this weekend I think we should leave the city. Just the two of us. We could go to my family's place in Nikko, it's quiet, we can spend some alone time together. I think we need that."

"I'd like that a lot," Kagome replied with a bright smile as she leaned forward to press her lips to his. "Nikko is nice, I like it a lot."

"Then it's set, we'll leave Friday night."

**.oooOoOooo.**

Setagaya was right outside of central Tokyo that held an upscale residential area. It was the place the found, after a couple months of searching, their perfect home. It had anything that they might need, shopping, parks, a good primary school, and was quieter than central. The house was bigger than three needed, but Kagome always knew Inuyasha preferred to have more than less.

"In case we ever decide to have another, we won't have to move," Inuyasha once proposed, to her great surprise. They hadn't even had their first and he was already open to the idea of others? That had to be a good sign.

Any rockiness that inhibited the relationship before was cast aside. For the most part, their issues were small things that looked even smaller in comparison to the bigger picture. They were going to be parents. They were going to have a child.

The large problems that they had were forgiven - her grievance with being forced into the marriage. After all, then she was happy to be married to him. Happy to be _with_ him, the father of her child. He no longer held any grudge towards what happened when she was tainted.

Their marriage wasn't perfect, there was no such thing as perfect, but it was as good as it could be. Sometimes his living habits would annoy her, sometimes hers would bother him, but that was normal. That was something they could get over.

Particularly when they finally became parents.

"She's so perfect," Kagome declared as she held her daughter in her arms for the first time at the hospital. She had never thought… that she could feel so whole, so content, so instantly. As soon as she saw her, as soon as she held her, she felt all those things in a flash. A beautiful flash.

Her eyes were already open, revealing she had the golden gaze of her father. Just like she had hoped, they were so pretty, so adored them and wanted their child to share the feature. She already had silver tuffs of hair on her head and her fingernails already seemed to be pointed. With time they would harden into claws.

"Yeah, she is," Inuyasha assured her as he sat down on the edge of the bed to look over the both of him. His two girls, his wife and daughter, the two most important people in the world to him. Kagome had been that for a while, it wasn't some sudden change, but… just like that, in a click, in a flash, as soon as he saw his daughter - as soon as he took a whiff of the scent that was half hers half his - he felt some hit him.

She was _his_ daughter. His in a way nothing else had ever been his before… he wouldn't mess this up, like he always feared he would if he became a parent. He wouldn't make his father's mistakes. He'd be there for her, for them, forever.

Things might have never worked out like they had originally planned but he was more than happy with the results. Just like his wife was equally as content. Through a hell of a lot of drama, annoyances, and ups and downs they had found a way to stay together. To hold on to one another… to make something so perfect together.

A life. One they would cherish, one that would become the center of theirs. Somehow, things tended to end up better for them when nothing went according to plan.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**_: _Thank you for all the reviews. I am really relieved to have completed this story, not that I didn't enjoy writing it, but I just like having completed stories. I want to have all of my stories completed, hopefully, before I leave fanfic[dot]net. _

_I hope you enjoyed the ending as well as the entire story. I know this chapter wasn't that long, but it got everything across that I wanted. It was more like an epilogue than an actual chapter, I suppose._

_Thank you for all the reviews and thank you for all the reviews that are to come. I appreciate them all, long or short. _


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